A Relative Situation
by LouiseX
Summary: Linka received some news from home that has her worried, but a certain American is only too willing to step in and help.
1. Chapter 1

**A Relative Situation**

 **Summary:** Linka received some news from home that has her worried, but a certain American is only too willing to step in and help.

 **A/N:** I thought you might like something to read… I'm going to aim for weekly updates on this one.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Captain Planet, I'm just borrowing it and will make no money whatsoever from these stories.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

The American exited his cabin and stepped out into the night, letting the door swing closed behind him. He looked up at the moon and sighed, ran one hand through his already tousled red hair and, still half asleep, headed towards the kitchen.

Wheeler stopped on the threshold, surprise crossing his face as he saw the room was already occupied. "Hey Babe, what're you doin' up at this hour? You okay?"

The lovely Russian shot up out of her chair, immediately on the defensive. "I do not think that is any of your business!"

"Whoa, Linka Chill!" He put his hands up in a defensive position.

She dropped back down onto her chair and crossed her arms in front of her. "I am not in the mood to flirt."

Wheeler slammed the kitchen door as he started across the room, heading to the cupboards for a bowl and some cereal, his favourite late night snack.

"Jeez Linka, 'Are you okay' is not exactly a pick up line you know!" He was half yelling. "It happens to be something one friend asks another when they're looking the way _you_ looked when I walked in!"

The American slammed everything he could find as he made his way around the kitchen, finally coming back to the table. It was then that he realised she was crying.

"Hey." He said softly, kneeling down beside her and reaching up to wipe away her tears, his food left forgotten on the table. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make it worse."

Linka gave him a weak smile. "You did not. I am sorry too."

"You wanna talk about it?" He let his hand fall to her upper arm, rubbing it gently with his thumb. "Is it your grandmother?"

Looking surprised Linka shook her head. "What would make you think that?"

Wheeler released her and returned to his chair. "You got a letter this… well yesterday morning." He picked up his bowl and deliberately kept his eyes on it as he added. "Your shields have been up ever since."

"My shields?" She sounded more confused than annoyed so he decided to explain.

"Something you withdraw into to protect yourself… you act like everything is okay but there's a distance that's not normally there." He gestured vaguely with his spoon as he struggled to describe how it felt to him. "It's like dealing with a recording of you, all the responses are correct but the feelings are locked up somewhere else."

At first she looked like she might start shouting, but then she slumped against her backrest. "You were not supposed to notice."

"I figured." His voice was still soft as if he was trying to cushion the blow.

The silence stretched on and he had begun to think he would have to try again, when she said. "My brother is getting married."

Wheeler's spoon paused halfway to his mouth as his brain tried to work out all the reasons why that might be a bad thing.

"I did not even know he was dating that… that…" Linka took a deep breath. " _Her_."

Understanding dawned in the American's eyes. "Does he know you don't like her?"

"He should do!" Her voice was raised again as she turned flashing eyes towards him, but then she calmed herself and looked away. "I would have at least thought he would know her reputation."

Raising an eyebrow her friend said. "Well maybe does, maybe he just doesn't buy it."

"It was not rumour Wheeler, it was fact." The Russian glared at him as it if was his fault. "And she was a bully."

"Okay… then maybe he just doesn't care." Wheeler shrugged. "When you fall in love with someone you'll forgive just about anything."

There was something in his voice when he said that last that suggested irony and Linka experienced both indignation and guilt in the seconds before he continued. "Look at my Mom, she put up with years of being beat on in the name of love."

Linka's cheeks reddened slightly but she put her embarrassment aside and pressed on. "Then you agree that he should not disregard her past."

"That depends." The fire planeteer shrugged. "How bad was her past and has she changed?"

Looking sulky, it was Linka's turn to shrug. "I do not know if she has changed, I am not sure it is possible and even if it is, I do not want to be related to her. She was a year above me in school and she was not just a bully, she ran the bullies. Plus, there were very few of the boys she did not know intimately, though the stories about the teacher might have been made up."

"Are you sure it wasn't all made up Babe?" Wheeler grinned. "That sort of reputation usually is."

Again Linka shrugged. "What sort of girl tells stories like that about herself? If one of the boys upset her she would humiliate them by saying they were not any good, they never denied it either, even when they tried to make excuses."

"Because for a teenage boy, not having done it is worse than being bad at it." Wheeler grinned at her. "Not that I had to worry about either."

"Is that supposed to impress me?" She glared.

Sighing, the American shook his head and took his now empty bowl over to the sink.

"It does not change the fact that Svetlana is a nasty piece of work!" Linka complained. "How can Mischka even _think_ of marrying her?"

Wheeler returned to the table. "I don't know Babe, I guess I'd have to meet her before I had a hope of even guessing at that…."

Seeing his hesitation, Linka gave him a wary look and asked. "What?"

"You're not going to say anything to Mischka about this, right?" He sounded nervous.

"Of course I am!" Linka seemed shocked. "I cannot let my brother go into this blindly."

Wheeler closed his eyes. "He won't thank you for it, even if you're right about her, if he's really in love with her he's not going to listen."

"Then what do you suggest I do?" She demanded. "Remain silent and wait for her to ruin his life?"

It was a brave man that argued with Linka when she was in that sort of mood. "Firstly, you don't know that's going to happen. Secondly, if you say something now you'll cause an argument and he'll just end up resenting you."

"What do _you_ know?!" Linka stood up furiously and stormed past him, heading for her cabin without another word.

The Fire Planeteer sighed and, after a few minutes, pushed himself to his feet and returned to his own room, sure that he wouldn't get back to sleep now that he had one more thing to worry about where Linka was concerned.

* * *

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hi guys, thanks for the reviews and the follows, I hope you enjoy the next part! I know I said weekly but hopefully you won't mind getting it a couple of days early?

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Wheeler crawled out of bed at midday and slowly made himself fit to be seen. It had been light before he had finally fallen asleep and though he'd made up for it over the morning, the disagreement he'd had with Linka was still pulling him down.

Fighting with his Russian team mate always left a heavy, empty feeling in the pit of his stomach until he knew everything was okay between them, but just as stubborn as she was, he was not about to make the first move towards a reconciliation.

The living area was deserted, as was the kitchen. That was not really unusual, the Planeteers were often spread about the island, but the Fire Planeteer had been hoping to see at least one of them... one in particular. Grabbing himself another bowl of cereal, Wheeler returned to the lounge and slumped down on their sofa.

When Linka entered the room a few minutes later, she took in his mood immediately and experienced a twinge of guilt. In truth she felt as bad as he did when they argued and she wondered, for the hundredth time, whether she should have woken him up earlier.

He didn't acknowledge her presence as she sat down beside him, but it was obvious that he knew she was there… for one thing he tensed up, making her feel guiltier still.

"I am sorry Wheeler." The Russian began. "I should not have taken my mood out on you, I know you were trying to help."

Not replying immediately, Wheeler kept his face in the same set expression as he leant forward and put his empty bowl on the coffee table, and then returned to his former position. Only then did he look up, and hold his arm out to the beautiful girl that was sitting so nervously (and literally,) on the edge of her seat, a slight smile creasing his lips.

Linka let out a sigh of relief and moved without thinking into the comforting strength of his embrace. Slipping her arms around him and snuggling close to his side, beginning to relax. "I want you to know that I was listening last night… I will not say anything to Mischka… at least until after I have met Svetlana again. I should give her a chance for his sake, da?"

"Da." Wheeler gave her a squeeze and planted a kiss in her hair. "It's nice to be right for a change."

Linka giggled and looked up at him. "Do not get ahead of yourself Yankee, I said I would take your advice, I will tell you if you were right when I get back."

He laughed at her teasing but his face soon fell. "When are you going? How long will you be away?"

"Not long…a few days." Her mood was dampened along with his. "You… I do not suppose… I mean, well you could… come with me?"

The lovely Russian's cheeks were flaming as she hastened to explain her invitation. "It would give me a second opinion and… maybe keep me from making fool of myself or alienating my brother?"

"I can't promise miracles Babe!" He teased back. "But I'd like to go, if you think it'd be okay with your family?"

"Of course it will!" She grinned at him and then settled back in his arms.

They remained silent for a few minutes, just enjoying the chance to cuddle without the others around to tease them. Neither were entirely sure about where their relationship was going, or even where they stood just then, but there was a connection between them that couldn't be ignored.

"I do not understand it." Linka said at last. "My brother is usually so… straight-laced. I do not know what he can find to like about her."

Wheeler nuzzled his beautiful friend's head and suggested, "Maybe that _is_ what he sees in her. Maybe it's how different she is that attracts him."

Linka made a non-committal noise and lapsed back into silence, leaving Wheeler to restart the conversation again. "What about you?"

She looked up at him, confusion in her eyes as he continued nervously. "You're a bit straight-laced yourself sometimes… is that what you want? A partner that is just like you?"

"Nyet!" She replied a little too hastily and ended up blushing. "Y… my objections to Svetlana are not based on her… correctness, and they are certainly not based on her sense of fun. She is spiteful."

He turned his body a little towards hers and gently reached up to stroke her hair back from her face before asking softly, "Did she hurt you?"

Linka shook her head. "Not directly, but I saw the effect she and her friends had on other people. If she did not like someone, the whole pack turned on them… tormenting them, calling them names and sometimes pinching or tripping them… nothing they would get in serious trouble for but it made those people's lives a misery."

She buried her face in his neck as she added unhappily. "No one dared to say anything after a while either, because those that did just became targets themselves… I never said anything."

"Don't feel bad Babe." He hugged her close, "There was nothing you could have done on your own, I'm glad you stayed out of it."

"I… I stayed out of it too much." Linka sounded close to tears as she continued. "Susichka was my friend before Svetlana and her bullies started to pick on her. She told me not to get involved and because I was afraid, I listened to her. She started going to school early and leaving late to avoid them, she would not go to lunch but would study in the library where there was a teacher to keep an eye on her. Of course if she did not avoid them she would have no money for lunch anyway… she stopped talking to me, or anyone. I do not know everything they said to her but she stopped wanting to leave her house. In the end it got so bad her parents moved away."

"What?!" Wheeler exclaimed. "They just moved? Knowing what was happening they didn't contact the school and try to fix things?"

There were tears in Linka's eyes now. "Da, they did… but it is not always an easy thing to prove. You _know_ what is going on but… things started going missing from Susichka's locker. Sometimes they were personal things that would turn up damaged or destroyed, sometimes it was homework that she got into trouble with the teachers for not doing."

"And of course no one saw anything." Wheeler growled in disgust.

Linka shook her head. "I should have done more."

"Like what?" He asked.

Shrugging, she replied. "I do not know… something. You would have."

Wheeler grinned and tried to lighten the mood. "Yeah, but that's because I'm an impulsive hot head."

"You care, that is important." Linka sighed and rested her head back on his shoulder. "I tried contacting Susichka a little while after we joined the Planeteers. I was stronger by then and I thought being called upon to protect the planet proved that I had grown, and that because of it, that I could be a better friend and maybe make up for not being there when she needed me."

"She didn't go for it?" he asked needlessly.

Linka shook her head, rubbing it against him. "Nyet. She wrote back and said that it was too late to try to be friends, that we had both moved on and become different people and that we would not have anything in common."

"And you blame Svetlana for making you lose a friend?" He added softly. "You know it might have happened anyway, people change as they grow up, their relationships change."

"Do you… do you think it could happen to us?" She asked, changing the subject slightly. "To the Planeteers I mean, do you think we could end up growing apart?"

Wheeler's grip tightened involuntarily. "No, we won't let it. Besides, we've been through too much together, nothing is ever going to change what we've shared."

"I hope you are right, but there is so much that could happen that… I do not mean just things that could go wrong but good things… like marriage." She swallowed. "If my brother goes through with his plans it will change our relationship, just as, if you found someone…"

The word 'else' seemed to hover in the air before she continued, trying to make light of it. "Well, we could not do this again for one thing."

There was a pause and then the American asked teasingly. "Sooo, you're saying you wouldn't like it if we couldn't cuddle up on the sofa when we felt like it?"

"Why do you do that?" Linka demanded, her eyes confessing that she didn't mind as much as she pretended, but still adding. "Do you not know by now that I do not deal well with your joking?"

For once, Wheeler answered her seriously. "Because I need to hear you say it."

"I cannot answer you." She looked away. "It is all a game to you."

"No it's not!" He exclaimed, and then ever so gently cupped her cheek and drew her gaze back around to him. "It's not Linka, I swear. I can't help the teasing, it's like my get out clause," His hand fell away and he sighed, sagging back in his seat. "For when you shoot me down _again_."

Linka looked at him curiously. "Why do you need a get out clause? Why make everyone think it is all a joke?"

He shook his head as if he wasn't going to answer but he did, his words soft and almost sulky. "Because being a clown is better than being pitied and I'd rather people didn't know when something bothers me this much."

"Do you not think, that maybe, **I** needed to know that it bothered you?"

The defeated look turned to one of anger. "Do you think I wanted _you_ to pity me?"

" _Nyet!_ _"_ She snapped back, sitting upright away from his arm. "I think you expected me to know when you are joking and when you are serious, and I still have no idea how I am supposed to do that!"

Wheeler opened his mouth as if to argue and then stopped and sighed. "You're supposed to play along, you know, flirt a little? Anything, just to give me the idea that I'm on the right track."

"Well you are not." Linka replied, once again sticking in the knife – or so it seemed to her fiery companion – but then she surprised him by leaning back against him. "I do not see why all that is necessary. In Russia if a boy likes you, he normally just asks you out. With all the games you play, it is a wonder the American race does not die out!"

The American struggled to keep a straight face while he answered. "We manage."

When she looked up to meet his eyes, Wheeler started to shake with laughter. It proved infectious and Linka was soon giggling with mirth. The fact that her change in mood had also seemed to make her more affectionate, was not lost on the red head and he cuddled her back naturally as she snuggled into him.

Their laughter expended, the two Planeteers continued to hold each other in a comfortable silence until at last, Wheeler said. "Sooo…"

"So?" Linka's eyes were sparkling with mischief, and a challenge.

Wheeler scoffed and shook his head but he was pleased that he finally knew what she wanted. "I like you, a lot. Go out with me?"

Despite her encouragement Linka hesitated. "You understand what it would mean for the team? Especially if… it did not work out…"

"It'll work." He answered quickly. "Trust me Linka, we can make it work!"

Hardly above a whisper, Linka replied. "Ok."

"… besides it kills me when you're with other guys, I don't think we could be more of a risk to the team than… what did you say?" her response had finally sunk in.

"What other guys?" she protested. "Just because another guy might like me…"

Wheeler shook his head. "It wasn't all one sided! What about Greg?"

"You can talk!" she pulled away again and crossed her arms, though when she leant back against the sofa, Wheeler's arm was still around her and she didn't protest.

"Flirting doesn't count! I never went out with any of them." He was glaring but in his heart, he was almost afraid to move away, not sure what it would mean for them.

Linka looked up at him. "I do not think one walk after a mission counts as a date Yankee! Da I liked Greg but… it was you making such a fuss about it that made me act the way I did… and then you backed off. What was I supposed to do? I never accepted a date from him and he _did_ ask, several times in fact."

"Why not?" She looked confused so he clarified. "Why didn't you go out with him?"

Blushing, Linka shrugged and looked down at her folded arms. "Why do you think?"

Wheeler groaned. "Do you think we'll ever get past this?"

"We already did, you were not listening." She gave him a sideways glance, trying not to smile.

"I was listening Babe, I just wasn't sure I hadn't screwed it up again." There was a question in his voice.

Linka dropped her rigid posture and curled back up around her boyfriend. "You will find that I am much harder to get rid of now Yankee… do not say I did not warn you."

"I'm gonna hold you to that." He replied quietly and chanced his luck by dropping his lips down onto hers.

* * *

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thanks again for reading and reviewing!

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

If their first kiss was brief and hesitant, their second more than made up for it, leaving them both breathless.

Neither could stop grinning and when Linka wound her arms up around Wheeler's neck to play with his silky orange hair, he leant down to slide his arm under her knees, and lift her onto his lap. "Comfy?"

"Mm hmm." She murmured against his lips, encouraging him not to talk, and achieving success.

They were still wrapped up in each other when, a short time later, Gi entered. They both jumped, and Wheeler diplomatically removed his hands from under Linka's loose shirt though, as she didn't try to get up, he didn't release her.

"Oh! Er, hi guys, I was just..." The Water Planeteer's eyes were filled with glee as she correctly interpreted what was going on. She walked over to a side table and picked up a small book. "I was going to read for a while but I guess I can do that in my room…"

"Good idea." Linka replied, making her partner chuckle.

The other girl nodded, making no move to leave. "Okay… oh, I meant to ask you…"

"Gi?" Linka prompted.

Gi smiled, "Yes?"

"Go away?"

The pretty Asian ran out of the room giggling, determined to find the rest of their team and share the good news.

Wheeler was laughing too but gently began to press loving kisses up his girlfriend's neck until he reached her ear, then he whispered, "They're probably all gonna come and spy through the window at us now, you know."

Linka chuckled and pushed back, pulling him with her until they were laying along the length of the sofa, Wheeler slightly above her, and with her legs still over his. "Then we had better give them something to see."

She pulled him down to meet her lips and surrendered herself to his gentle touch, beginning to explore him with equal care.

As it happened, the others did not come back to tease them, and so they were not disturbed until a couple of hours later, when Gaia called them for an alert.

Wheeler groaned and rested his forehead against Linka's. They'd been talking quietly when Gaia called, punctuating their speech with loving kisses, but despite their new understanding he was reluctant to let her go. "Do they _always_ have to interrupt?"

Linka laughed and gently disentangled herself from him. "I thought we were doing quite well, and if it had not been an alert, we would have been called for dinner anyway."

He watched her tuck her t-shirt back inside her shorts and generally tidy herself up. "On the whole, I'd rather have been called for dinner, we'd have been back here in no time, and I could go for a burger about now anyway."

The lovely Russian rolled her eyes. "You could go for any food at any time Yankee! Come on, we can do this later."

"Is that a promise?" Wheeler was already at her side as she headed for the door, careless of his own appearance.

"Da." She linked their hands, smiling shyly up at him, and then tugged slightly to make him increase his pace.

* * *

"I do not care what you say Wheeler!" The Wind Planeteer yelled as she got out of the geo-cruiser, she was covered in what looked like dried mud. "Your recklessness endangered all of us!"

Wheeler jumped out behind her. "You're just sore because you landed in…"

"Do not say it! I am very aware of what we landed in!" She was so annoyed that anyone who didn't know them would have thought she hated her fellow Planeteer. "You can clean the geo-cruiser, while the rest of us clean ourselves, I see no reason why you should not live with the smell a little longer."

She stormed off towards the cabins followed by Gi and Ma-Ti. Kwame paused. "You did bring this on yourself Wheeler, but she will calm down soon enough."

"I wasn't being reckless Kwame!" He protested. "If I hadn't opened the sewer hatch…"

"I know." The African grinned. "And so does she, but that does not mean she will not make you suffer for dropping us in all that waste. Do not forget to collect it…"

Wheeler grimaced. "I know I know, it'll help your roses."

The African headed after the others, laughing to himself, and with far more confidence that his friends would make up than Wheeler himself had.

They had been out all night and most of the next day, but they knew better than to allow themselves to crash right away, it disturbed their sleep patterns less, if they stayed up until their usual bedtimes. Trying to keep themselves awake and occupied until then, however, was not always easy.

By the time dinner had been made ready, Linka was a lot calmer and when she entered the kitchen she immediately asked where Wheeler was.

"He said he was not hungry." Ma-Ti supplied, knowing that as far as his American friend was concerned, that was always a cause to worry.

The Russian sat down. "He is sulking I suppose. Did he actually clean the Geo-cruiser?"

Kwame grinned. "Of course. However much he argues, it is rare that he does not do what you tell him."

"He did save us Linka, and at least it was a soft landing." Gi offered, carefully keeping her eyes on the food she was preparing.

"Well, no one said he should not eat…" The blond said stubbornly, and then she seemed to deflate a little. Sighing, she got up again and headed for the door. "I will talk to him."

* * *

The Fire Planeteer was laying on his bed, staring up at his ceiling, and wondering if he would ever get things right with Linka.

He was aware of her from the moment she entered, though she didn't knock and said nothing. Wheeler was waiting for the Russian to start yelling again but she didn't and his heart rate increased as she kicked off her shoes and climbed up the length of the bed to nestle beside him.

Automatically wrapping his arms around her and placing a kiss in her hair, which again smelled of flowers, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" He asked nervously after a few moments.

"Da. Durak." She kissed his bare chest and settled her arm over the waistband of his jeans. "You should know by now that I never stay mad at you for long."

Wheeler gave her a squeeze but shook his head. "So many times I thought we'd be okay and then something would happen and… I just keep expecting something to go wrong… what happened earlier, before the mission… it seems like a dream now."

Linka pushed herself up and leant over to press her lips to his. "Better?"

"It's a start." He gazed at her in wonder as she once more joined their mouths, parting hers to allow him to deepen the kiss.

When they finally broke for air, Linka rested her head on his shoulder and whispered. "Please do not doubt yourself Yankee, I need you to believe in this, in us… we need to make it work and you must not start worrying if I yell, we argue too often."

He kissed her cheek. "I know. I do believe in us Babe, I promise. It was just too soon, we haven't been together five minutes, and I didn't know how to deal with it… I've never been in this position before."

"What do you mean?" She was confused, knowing as she did, that she wasn't his first girlfriend.

Wheeler shifted uncomfortably and hugged her closer. "I practically begged you to be with me… for years. You completely have me over a barrel… I feel like I can't afford to make any mistakes with you and, I just don't know how to be perfect."

"You do not need to be perfect." She exclaimed, looking up at him, obviously surprised that he should feel that way. "I would never expect that of anyone, I am not perfect, no one is."

"Okay." He replied, meeting her gaze. "Then I don't know how to be the guy you want, I'll try, but I can't help being afraid of messing up."

Gently brushing her fingers through his hair she said softly. "You _are_ the guy I want, you do not need to try."

Continuing before he could argue, she explained. "I do not trust easily. I needed to know that you wanted the same as I do, but it is done, you have convinced me. We are together, and as far as I am concerned, on equal footing. We will both probably need to be reassured now and then… at least _you_ have done this before."

He stroked her suddenly red cheek with a lazy finger. "Not like this, it never meant so much to me… it never had a future before."

Linka smiled and brought their lips together for a moment or two, before pulling away once more and sitting up. Taking his hand, she said. "We should go and eat with the others, we can do this later."

"You said that before." He reminded her, sighing as he sat up and swung his legs over the side.

Linka grinned and climbed off the bed, going to retrieve her shoes. "And I meant it, we can keep doing this as often as we like, we just have to do it in between everything else. Are you going to put a shirt on?"

"Why, what's wrong with showing off my rock hard bod?" He teased, as he began rummaging in his drawer for a clean t-shirt.

"Absolutely nothing." She gave him an admiring glance, catching him off guard for once, then giggling she moved back into his embrace. "It was distracting enough when I had to pretend that I did not notice, now I might just stare."

He laughed and hugged her to him. "That'd be fine with me Babe."

* * *

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The others had teased them for entering the kitchen hand in hand, but since neither had seemed to mind, the comments dried up before the end of the meal, and no one even mentioned how Linka had curled up in Wheeler's lap, in the common room afterwards.

The new couple were completely wrapped up in each other, though they were tired and happy to hold each other and whisper quietly while the others watched a film. Linka would normally have given up the fight to remain awake by that time, but she was reluctant to leave her new boyfriend so soon and he was content to have her there.

"I won't be offended if you doze off Beautiful." He offered. "I'll even carry you to bed and tuck you in if you want?"

She smiled sleepily. "That sounds nice, but I would rather stay here for now." She emphasized her words by snuggling her face into his neck.

"Me too Babe." Wheeler grinned and rested his head against hers, his eyes revealing far more of his feelings to his friends than he realised. In fact his whole posture around the Wind Planeteer was markedly different, he was relaxed and content and it showed.

After a couple of hours, just after Ma-Ti said good night and headed for his cabin, Gaia's voice called to Linka. "Your grandmother is calling, would you like me to tell her you'll call her back when you've had some sleep?"

Linka sighed and got up, allowing her hand to trail along her boyfriend's arm as if she were reluctant to let go. "That is kind of you Gaia, spasiba, but it is okay, I will speak to her."

The Russian smiled at Wheeler and then headed to the crystal chamber.

"Grandmuska, is everything okay?" Linka of course was speaking in Russian and the concern in her voice sprang from the paleness of the old woman's face.

"Da Linka, it is good to see you." She replied with a smile, and countered with. "You look tired though?"

The blond stretched a little. "We were on a long mission. I will go to bed soon."

Her grandmother nodded. "Well then I will not keep you, I just wanted to know if you were coming for Mischka's engagement party? You received his letter I hope?"

"Da." Linka tried somewhat unsuccessfully to smile. "I got it… I forgot, I am sorry."

The elderly woman was obviously still waiting for an answer so Linka tried again. "I will be there as long as there are no emergencies… and I will be bringing Wheeler with me too."

"You know I am always happy to see Wheeler." Her grandmother didn't look at all like she meant that, a suspicion that was borne out as she continued. "It is a family occasion though and well… I'm not sure it would be appropriate."

"Wheeler is as much family as that…!" She took a breath. "Grandmuska, do you really think they would object to my bringing him?"

Her grandmother shrugged. "I do not know, Mischka has very strong ideas about family, but he does like Wheeler. I cannot tell what Svetlana will object to, but darling, do you really want him to meet her?"

 _I take it that means she has not changed!_ Linka thought, but only said. "If Mischka is determined to marry her then da, they will have to meet sooner or later. Besides, I trust him."

Grandmuska smiled. "Has something happened between the two of you? As I remember it, the last time I spoke to you, you said he was a womanising idiot."

The Wind Planeteer blushed. "That was… we had had an argument… but he really just flirts a lot, and it is different now anyway."

"I see." Her grandmother's smile grew wider.

Linka laughed in embarrassment and confirmed what her relative was thinking. "We are together … officially. So if I have to get used to Svetlana, they will have to become accustomed to my Yankee."

Her grandmother chuckled in return. "Very well, tell Wheeler I look forward to seeing him again… oh, do you mind sharing a room with him? I cannot see Mischka being happy about sharing his, though you could always come in with me if it makes you uncomfortable?"

The young girl's face was burning but she kept her voice steady as she answered. "We do not… live together. But I do not think it will be uncomfortable for us to share a room for a few nights, we are both adults after all, I do not think we need to act like teenagers."

"That makes things easier then." Grandmuska smiled. "Get some sleep and I will see you soon."

"Da, good night Grandmuska." She replied.

Once the screen had gone dark and Linka's face had cooled down slightly, she called softly to Gaia and waited for the motherly spirit to appear. "I am sorry Gaia, I just realised I should have asked you first. Will it be okay for Wheeler and myself to visit my family over the weekend?"

"Of course." The Gaia smiled down at her, her other worldly presence full of caring as usual. "Unless there is an emergency of course. But if you take the Eco-copter, you can just meet up with the others if something happens."

Linka nodded and thanked her before returning to the common room. When she got there the Wind Planeteer saw that only her boyfriend was present.

"Have the others gone to bed?" She asked, resuming her place on his lap.

Wheeler pulled her close as she settled against him. "Nah, they're making drinks. Is everything okay with your family?"

Linka nodded. "I do not think Grandmuska is any happier about this engagement than I am, but she is not saying so. She did say that she would be happy to see you again though... if you still want to come with me?"

"You know I do." He kissed her soft lips lovingly. "I want to be with you all the time."

The Russian's smile grew as she remembered the sleeping arrangements she had made with her grandmother. "Do not worry Yankee, we will be together the whole time."

She closed the distance between them once more, running her fingers through his short red hair.

"I wish I were not so tired." Linka sighed after a while, not wanting to be the one to end their time together but knowing she couldn't stay awake much longer.

"You want me to walk you to your door?" The American offered affectionately. "I mean I know this isn't exactly a date but I kinda feel like I should, you know?"

Linka nodded, her eyes shining and a huge smile on her lips. They'd not had much of a chance to just spend time together and they certainly had had no time for dates, at least since they had been a couple. He was being very sweet though and she liked it, it made her feel safe and loved, just as he always managed to do when he wasn't trying.

Slipping off his lap and holding her hand out to him, the lovely Russian couldn't help marvelling at how neatly her hand fit into his larger one.

"So, where should we go for our first date… though I guess we won't have time before your brother's party?" The American gave her hand a squeeze to show her that he didn't mind.

Linka smiled back. "It does not have to be something fancy, you know most women think a walk along the beach is a very romantic date."

"Yeah but most women don't practically live on top of one." Wheeler looked down at her. "You'd want to do that?"

"Da, why not?" The Wind Planeteer stopped in front of her cabin door and turned to face him. "Dating is just about spending time together, it does not really matter what we do."

Wheeler pulled her into his arms and held her close, teasing gently. "Then we've been dating for years."

Linka chuckled. "It does not work quite like that Yankee."

"Tomorrow then? We ditch the others for a while and go for a walk." He kissed her nose. "You can even wake me up early if you like and we can have breakfast together."

Faking shock, his girlfriend gasped. "Bozhe' moy Yankee, you must really be serious about me!"

"I am." His quiet response, coupled with the fire in his eyes, took her breath away.

The kiss that followed was passionate but not uncontrolled, and though it took several more before they could bear to part, the new couple eventually did separate, Wheeler to head back to the common room and their friends while Linka slipped into a peaceful sleep filled with dreams of her Yankee.

* * *

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Here's the next part, you wanted to see their date, right?

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

Linka woke feeling refreshed and happy. It was later than usual for her, but still quite early and she took her time getting out of bed.

After a quick visit to the bathroom and a short internal debate, the Russian opted to try waking her boyfriend before she ducked in the shower, hoping he'd manage to get up in time for them to have breakfast together.

Slipping into Wheeler's room, Linka took a moment to admire the young man, her lips curving into a smile as she thought about how innocent he looked when he was asleep. She sat down beside him and tenderly brushed her fingers over his cheek and then through his hair. "Time to wake up Yankee."

Wheeler groaned and murmured her name.

Amused, Linka bent down to brush her lips briefly against his. "It is morning Lyubov."

He didn't answer or open his eyes but his arms snaked around her, pulling her back to him. Then he rolled suddenly, pulling her onto the bed and pinning her beneath him with his blankets between them as he kissed her firmly.

"Good morning." He told her, when they finally parted.

Linka's cheeks were flushed but she laughed. "Good morning to you too. Do you still want to have breakfast with me?"

"Yes." He tightened his grip and rested his forehead against hers. "Not yet though, it's too early."

The Russian hesitated as if she was going to argue but then sighed and told him to, "Let me up."

Wheeler did as she asked immediately, but he couldn't help being disappointed, he'd only wanted to snuggle for a while.

Linka pulled the blankets back off him and he started to get up, but then she surprised him by stopping him and climbing in beside him, waiting for Wheeler to cuddle back into her before settling down. "We can stay for a while."

Frightened to talk in case he said something that might upset her, Wheeler relaxed back into the bed, holding her tight against him and pressing kisses to her head and temple. At last he whispered, "We're finally alone."

"Shhh!" Linka pulled back and lifted her hand to press her fingers over his mouth. "Yankee, you will jinx it!"

Kissing her fingertips, the American whispered an apology and pulled her back against him, tucking her head under his chin and closing his eyes. "I just want to savour every moment we're together."

Linka sighed and closed her eyes as well, smiling when a warm hand slipped up inside her short top to rest in the small of her back.

They lay peacefully in each other's arms not saying anything until, now fully awake, Wheeler trailed his fingers down her arm and made for the ticklish spot in her side. His girlfriend squealed and retaliated, laughing delightedly at the way he squirmed in response.

"Enough!" She gasped after a while, trapped beneath him but still laughing. "You win, I surrender."

Wheeler ceased his teasing but kept her pinned down. Grinning, he asked. "What did I win?"

"Breakfast?" The Russian suggested, "I will make it just the way you like it."

"I had something else in mind." He lowered his mouth to hers in a passionate embrace, smiling against her lips as she responded whole-heartedly.

When they parted they were both breathless and he rolled off her, but kept one arm tucked around her to hold her against him.

They stayed like that for a little while longer but eventually Linka decided it was time to get up. She was smiling as she climbed over him to exit the bed and stand up. "It is time we got moving, if you are still planning on going on a date with me?"

"You bet Babe." Wheeler sat up, but didn't get out of the bed. "I'll have a quick shower and meet you in the kitchen okay?"

Nodding, the Wind Planeteer walked to the door, pausing on the threshold to call over her shoulder. "Better make it a cold one Yankee, it is going to be a long day."

Despite the fact that she was the one doing the teasing, her cheeks flushed red and it, made him laugh as he thought how adorable she was.

* * *

Wheeler was already making toast by the time Linka arrived in the kitchen. He was wearing his usual jeans and half tucked in t-shirt, not having given it any thought, so when he saw her he gasped in surprise, as well as awe.

"You like this?" She was pleased with his reaction and turned a full circle so that he could admire her new outfit. It was simple enough, denim shorts with a shirt that tied up under her bust, leaving her midriff bare, but it wasn't her uniform and the blue of the top seemed to make her eyes glow deeper. She'd also curled her hair and tied it back differently so that it framed her face and neck.

"Er, yeah." He swallowed. "You look incredible."

Linka laughed and shook her head, moving to the fridge to look for some juice. "I have a bathing suit on underneath so we can go swimming later if you like?"

There was no answer and when she turned back to him, Wheeler was still staring. "Are you okay Yankee?"

"Yeah… I just, er." He swallowed but was saved by the toaster. He retrieved his bread and began buttering it before answering her. "I was trying to remember what swimsuit you had that would fit under that outfit… there can't be much of it."

Linka moved close to him, taunting him with her proximity, and reaching around him to steal one of the buttered slices. "It is new. I have not dared wear it after Ma-Ti and Kwame's reaction to Gi's, but today it is just going to be us, da?"

Gi's bikini hadn't been particularly small but it was more revealing that what the girls usually wore and their male team mates had been made distinctly uncomfortable by it.

Wheeler laughed at the memory and slipped an arm around his girlfriend's bare waist, still half expecting her to protest, but pleased when she didn't.

"Just us." He confirmed, releasing her as she pulled away to fetch some fruit. "You're gonna need sun block."

"Are you offering to apply it for me?" She asked innocently and then laughed as he hastily assured her that he was. She didn't get a chance to answer though as they were interrupted by a sleepy looking Kwame.

Yawning, Kwame wished them a good morning and started preparing his breakfast.

The young couple gave each other apologetic looks and sat next to each other at the table. Wheeler leant over and whispered. "Sorry Babe, I should have got up when you called me."

"I was not rushing either." She assured him in return. "Besides, it was nice."

"Linka I was thinking," Kwame sat down and continued, oblivious of their closeness. "The irrigation system we saw yesterday…"

It wasn't long before Gi joined them as well, and though she admired what Linka was wearing, she too seemed to miss the vibes the couple were giving off. "So what are we going to do today?"

"Linka and I thought we'd go for a walk round the island." Wheeler said pointedly, and then figuring they wouldn't get it, added. " _Alone_."

The Russian grimaced. "Wheeler!"

Kwame and Gi just laughed. "Do you ever get the feeling you're not wanted?"

"Sorry Guys, it's just…" the American tried to explain but his friends waved it away.

"You do not need to explain my friend." Their leader assured them. "We do realise when we have interrupted you, albeit a little too late."

It was Linka and Wheeler's turn to laugh and they even greeted Ma-Ti good-naturedly when he joined them a few minutes later.

* * *

Once the breakfast things had been cleared away, Wheeler excused himself to go and change, and Linka left just after. Changing into swimming shorts with normal shorts over the top, the American was just looking for a suitable, non-work, t-shirt when there was a soft knock on his door. "Come in."

Linka entered and held up a bottle of sun block. "I thought we should do this first, da?"

"Good thinking." He sat down on the bed and watched as she positioned herself in front of him and poured some of the liquid into her hand before offering him the bottle.

Wheeler gasped as the cold liquid ran down his chest but it was more to do with the way her soft hands chased after it, caressing him as she slowly rubbed it in. Trying not to let her see how much her actions were affecting him, he poured out some more of the lotion and began to apply it to her bare skin.

Linka shivered under Wheeler's touch, always amazed at how gentle he was and thrilled by the way his hands felt on her body.

They turned and stood to make sure that every inch of exposed flesh was protected. "We should take this with us, we will have to do it again if we go swimming."

Linka's cheeks were flushed, and Wheeler chuckled softly before leaning down to press a tender kiss on her lips. "Beach towels might be a good idea too."

"Da, and maybe a picnic?"

It was a lovely day on Hope Island, as it nearly always was, and the young couple laughed and joked as they made their way, hand in hand, over the warm sand. Wheeler had insisted on carrying their bag and though Linka would normally have objected to not sharing the burden, she was enjoying the extra attention.

"Poor Ma-Ti, he was so embarrassed!" She chuckled but then added. "I suppose we were quite mean to him."

Wheeler shook his head. "Nah, it's a part of growing up. Besides sometimes it's easier to laugh stuff off than have everyone get serious and sympathetic about it."

She squeezed his hand and looked up at him, smiling slightly as she watched how the breeze played with his hair. "You hate people feeling sorry for you, but I would rather be cared about than laughed at."

"I can do both. We weren't being mean to Ma-Ti, Babe, we were just teasing." He looked down at her lovingly. "You hate being teased."

Linka thought about that and then nodded. "Sometimes… not when I am happy like yesterday, but if I am embarrassed, da I do not like it."

"I'll try not to upset you." He promised.

A smile leapt to her lips. "You do not, it is strange to me even now, but it has always been different with you."

"I'm glad… I guess I deal with you being sorry for me better too… I think it's 'cos we understand each other so well." He laughed. "At least, when we're not discussing our relationship we do."

Linka blushed slightly but she chuckled with him. Before she could reply Wheeler suddenly said. "Tell me something about you, something I don't know, a secret."

"I do not have any secrets Yankee." Linka looked up at him in confusion. "You know everything."

The American shook his head. "It doesn't have to be something big, just something you wouldn't normally tell people, or something silly."

"You tell me something first." She suggested. "Give me an idea what you mean."

He hesitated and then started to back-peddle. "You're right Babe, it's a stupid idea, let's talk about something else, er…"

Linka squeezed his hand again and pulled him to a halt. "Yankee, you should be able to tell me anything now, and do not say that I know everything about you, because I know that is not true, your life before we met was very different to mine."

"Yeah, but not in a good way." Wheeler sighed. "If I thought there was something I could tell you without ruining everything… but I'm pretty sure there's nothing I can say that you'd like. It's definitely not 'first date' stuff."

"Wheeler we have known each other for years, I am sure there are lots of things that we do not like but they are not important." She looked up into his eyes. "We just need to be honest and open with each other."

Wheeler sighed. "I am honest with you Babe, I just don't want to tell you more than you want to hear, I don't want to give you a bad idea of me, it's not who I am anymore."

The Russian smiled in understanding. "Then tell me something more recent, you said it did not have to be a big thing, I just want an idea of something to tell you."

The young man relaxed slightly, giving her a grateful look. He thought for a moment and then leant down to whisper in her ear as if there might be someone close enough to overhear. "I like country music."

Linka burst out laughing, "What is so secret about that?"

"Trust me Babe, it's not cool." He shook his head.

"You worry too much about appearances." She gazed affectionately up at him but added reflectively. "And yet sometimes you do not seem to care what anyone thinks."

The American shrugged. "Some things are worth getting beat up over. Where I grew up you learnt quickly when it was good to draw attention to yourself and when it would get you in trouble… I admit my reflexes with the eco-villains are a bit off sometimes though, they don't play by the same rules."

"They do not play by any rules." Her nose wrinkled up in distaste. "Your heart is always in the right place though, even when your actions get you into boiling water."

"Hot water." He corrected her gently, smiling down at her.

The lovely Russian rested her cheek against his shoulder, her voice still full of warmth. "My idioms might not always be correct but I think my word is. If anyone can make the water boil, it is you."

Wheeler laughed loudly. "Do you mean because of my planeteer power or my smokin' hot bod?"

His girlfriend giggled. "I meant your ability to get into serious trouble, but those work too."

Not one to let things like that go, the American immediately turned towards her, blocking her path so that he could take her in his arms, and came back with. "Oh yeah, so you do think I'm sexy then?"

Linka blushed but she had promised herself she wouldn't lie to him anymore. Her voice was not much above a whisper as she replied. "Da… perhaps you will take that as my secret? I would not admit it to anyone until now, not even Gi, and she tried hard to get me to… " She leant into his embrace and stretched up to bring her lips to his ear. "I think of you when I close my eyes at night, Yankee. I try to recall every detail and imagine how it would feel to run my fingers over every inch of skin, over each muscle."

As she spoke she demonstrated by running her hands over his chest, and though his top was in the way it was thin enough for her to build up her mental picture.

Wheeler didn't let her get any further, but brought their lips together in a crushing embrace that left them both breathless and laughing in the comfort of their new found closeness.

* * *

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Thanks again for reading and reviewing... I hadn't meant to post again so quickly but this part of the story _is_ written and it _is_ a bank holiday so, enjoy ;)

* * *

 **Chapter Six**

Having found a private spot with plenty of shade on the uninhabited side of the island, the two Planeteers set up their picnic and made themselves comfortable on the blanket to share it.

"So tell me what to expect when we get to your Gram's," Wheeler asked, once more turning the conversation back to more personal topics. "Any big do's or don'ts? Any weird Russian customs I should know about? Or should I expect to be accosted by dozens of jealous ex-boyfriends?"

Linka laughed, "How would I know if any of my customs are weird to an American? You will have to tell me if they are, or ask me to explain as we go… as for do's and don'ts, nothing you do not already know Yankee, you just need to be yourself."

"Myself? I thought you wanted your family to like me?" he replied, only half joking.

"They already like you," the Russian frowned, "I am not going to tell you how to behave, you do not need me to."

Wheeler smiled sadly and reached for her hand, "Sorry Babe, I didn't mean to ruin the mood, I'd meant it to be a joke but I guess it came out wrong."

"You are taking our relationship seriously," She shrugged, "That is not a bad thing, but Wheeler, I want to be with you. If you do not believe in yourself, at least believe in my judgement."

A warmer smile lit the Fire Planeteer's features and he gave her hand a squeeze, "I can do that."

Linka responded in kind and then the teasing light returned to her eyes, "As for my ex's…" She laughed and shook her head, "Nyet. Do not forget that I was only fifteen when I joined the planeteer's, I know you are only just over a year older but at that age it makes a big difference."

"Especially between a big city guy and a small town girl, huh?" he said with some understanding and the Russian girl agreed.

Then she shifted suddenly looking uncomfortable, "My brother's friend has recently… expressed an interest. I told him nyet but you asked, so…"

"Do you see much of this 'friend'?" Wheeler tried to keep the question neutral but as usual failed. "I don't remember you mentioning anyone in particular."

Linka sighed, "Da I see him when I am home because he is Mischka's best friend, but please do not start imagining that there is anything going on, I have not mentioned him because he does not occupy my thoughts."

Wheeler nodded in acceptance but she could tell there was still something on his mind. "Out with it Yankee moy, whatever it is you are thinking."

"Will you promise to not get mad at me?" He asked warily.

"Nyet, but I will promise to forgive you for whatever it is… eventually."

The American groaned and rubbed his hands over his face, "I'm not jumping to conclusions, and it doesn't make any difference anyway, but I can't help wondering… you weren't ready for any sort of relationship when you came here but, well you don't seem… shy, about being with me now…"

"And you want to know whether I have gained any experience since I joined the Planeteers?" She shook her head and to his relief, didn't look offended, "Nyet I have not, not with anyone else anyway, it is you I am comfortable with." The look she gave him then was openly affectionate, "I do not think you realise how often you touch me, or hold me… even before we were together, you are a naturally physical person when you show your feelings or comfort someone. I was not used to that but I always knew I could trust you, though I too have been surprised at how easy it feels to be with you." Her gaze turned wary, "Should I be glad that you think I know what I am doing, or worried that I am being too forward?"

Wheeler laughed, "I think you're amazing, you don't need to worry about anything. Like you said, just be yourself."

She leant over to give him a brief kiss but her cheeks had coloured a little and she was glad to turn her attention back to their lunch. The American watched her for a while, marvelling at how right their new relationship felt, before taking an interest in the picnic himself.

It was Linka that broke the silence, "So as long as we _are_ together, can I call you Jason?"

Wheeler's head shot up, "Where did you hear that? I mean it's not exactly a secret but I don't remember ever telling any of you…"

"Your mother always asks for Jason when she calls." She shrugged, "Gaia introduced you as Wheeler so no one liked to ask."

The American laughed, "Guys back home go by their surnames, at least amongst their friends, I guess as it didn't come up I never gave it a thought." He shrugged, "I don't think I even know your last name."

Her eyes twinkled with mischief, "You do not know my first name either." She held her hand out as if to shake his. "Akilina Petrova, pleased to meet you Jason Wheeler"

"Akilina?" he pronounced slowly, taking her hand.

Linka nodded, "Da I know it is terrible, I was named after my great aunt, but it means eagle at least. Linka is a familiar form that friends and family use, though I always give that as my name for obvious reasons. I should have told you that when you asked me for a secret earlier."

He shook his head and brought her hand to his lips to kiss it. "It's not terrible, but Linka is definitely easier to say, although we'd probably shorten it to Lina, without the K. And to answer your original question, you can call me whatever you want."

"Spasiba." She began to clear away the remnants of their meal and Wheeler helped, moving when they were done into the empty space on the blanket and gently guiding her to sit between his legs, leaning back against him, so that he could hold her comfortably as they looked out to sea.

"This is nice," He told her, content in her company.

Linka nodded, "I used to think that if I gave in to you, you would not be able to keep your hands off me."

Her boyfriend gave her a gentle squeeze, "I can't."

"You know what I mean," she replied with a smile.

"Disappointed?"

The Russian laughed and shook her head, "This is perfect."

He kissed her cheek, "I figure you'll let me know when you're ready for more, but I'm not in any rush, it's a relief to just be allowed to be with you."

Moving so that she could look up at him, Linka asked, "Are you happy?"

"Happier than I've ever been in my life, Babe."

"Me too."

Their lips met then without either of them thinking about it, a tender embrace that confirmed everything they'd said to each other. Linka turned to wrap her arms around him and they lost themselves in the intimacy of the moment.

When they finally parted they resumed their former position, silently watching the tide come in and listening to the sea birds as they called to each other. This lasted some time before Wheeler said, "The water looks warm, did you want to try out that new swimsuit of yours?"

"Mmm," She sighed contentedly and began undoing the knot on her top. "We should reapply the sun block first too."

"I'll get it." Without getting up, Wheeler leant over to their bag and retrieved the tube, and then gasped as he looked back because Linka had stood up to shed her shorts and was standing in front of him in a very small blue bikini.

"Do you like it?" She teased, turning around so that he got the full effect.

The American nodded, his mouth had gone dry and he was wondering how he was going to strip down to his swimming trunks without embarrassing himself.

Linka laughed but her cheeks took on a familiar rosy hue. "I will take it that I was right not to wear it in front of the others."

"I'd kill 'em for looking." He agreed, unable to tear his eyes away and making her laugh again. Finally regaining his wits, Wheeler got up and stood in front of her, pouring some lotion in his hand, "Ready?"

The lovely blond nodded but shivered as the cool liquid first touched her skin. Wheeler's hands warmed it up quickly however and she closed her eyes, savouring his touch which, while respectful, was more of a caress than a practical application. Her body reacted to him, blazing into life and she found herself reaching out to pull his t-shirt up over his head in a misguided attempt to distract herself.

Wheeler saw the effect he was having on her as she opened her eyes and it made his own condition worse but he didn't try to calm things down, instead he handed her the sun block so that she could work on his now bare chest while he continued to rub it into her exposed skin.

They each turned around at the other's request but when Linka asked him to remove the rest of his outer clothing, Wheeler hesitated. "Um… you wanna give me a couple of minutes? I should probably finish my legs myself."

Linka giggled as she guessed his predicament but not entirely sorry for the chance to calm down herself, she chose not to embarrass him further, "I will wait for you in the water Yankee."

"Thanks Beautiful." He watched her retreating form enter the water and then turned away to finish getting ready.

* * *

After an hour or so swimming, splashing, chasing and when the mood took them, kissing in the warm water, the two Planeteers continued their walk around the island. Neither of them were in a hurry to get back to the others, they just strolled hand in hand along the beach and through the trees.

"Oh Jason, look a Tropicbird, are they not beautiful?" Linka pointed into the sky as their journey brought them back out of the trees.

Wheeler looked where she was pointing but he was grinning at the use of his name… he liked it, he decided. "Uh, I thought it was a seagull?"

"Nyet…" She hesitated, knowing he wouldn't want the full explanation, "Look at the tail, it is their most distinctive feature."

"Oh yeah… it's like a rat. I've never noticed that before." He agreed.

Linka leant into his side, "I know, I did not mean to bore you with my hobby."

The American squeezed her hand, "You don't bore me, I just don't pay a lot of attention to birds."

"Not the feathered kind anyway," She teased, giving him a saucy smile and making him laugh.

"So what other sort of birds do we get on the island," Wheeler persisted, "Tell me what I'm missing?"

For a while Linka did just that, pointing out the various species of birds and animals they came across until she happened to glance up and see a glazed look in Wheeler's eyes. She stopped abruptly. "I _am_ boring you. I am sorry."

Wheeler laughed, "I'm not bored Babe, I'm confused… they all look alike to me. Well not all, I can tell a seagull from a parrot but… it never even occurred to me that there were so many variations. I really don't know how you tell them all apart." Then added apologetically, "I'm not sure I have the brains or the patience to learn either."

"You do have the brains." She assured him, "But it does not interest you the way it does me. That is ok, you do not need to be into everything I am."

"I'm not into anything you are." Wheeler pointed out, an edge of worry to his voice. "I mean yeah, saving the planet and water sports, but that's work and exercise. I guess it's not a big deal but I feel like we should have a least one thing we can do together… besides making out."

Chuckling Linka stopped and put her arms up around his neck, pressing herself close, "You keep reminding me how much I have underestimated you, please do not underestimate yourself, or us. We both like music, not always the same it is true, but I know you have a guitar, assuming you know how to play it I am sure we could find some songs we could play together."

The American grinned and cradled her closer, "I'm a bit out of practice but I can play, and yeah I'd like to try that."

"And watching movies… even when we complain at the other's choice I think we always both enjoy them?" She gave him a questioning look.

"And the popcorn that goes with the movies, we both love that." He agreed.

Linka nodded, "Did you not once tell me that you can ice-skate?"

Wheeler smiled, "I did, and you said you love to dance… not that I'd win awards at either but I'm willing to give it a go."

"Spasiba." She lifted her lips to brush his, "There are probably lots of things neither of us has tried yet, that we could do together. At least we will have fun finding out da?"

He laughed, "Da."

"And when I forget myself and get carried away in a lecture about something you are not interested in, you will tell me, da?" The Russian added, expressing one of her own worries.

"Probably not." Wheeler grinned, "Babe, I told you, it doesn't bore me and it doesn't bother me that you always know more than me either. That's what's worrying you, isn't it?"

She lowered her eyes to his chest, "You have a tendency to put yourself down and I know that I can get caught up in a subject… I have been told so, and I know I do it. I do not actually do it to try to make others feel inferior and I do not want it to get to you..."

Wheeler kissed her forehead, "Ok, in the first place I know that you would never do anything on purpose to make someone feel bad about themselves and whoever said that to you didn't know you at all. They were probably just intimidated by your intelligence, that's their problem not yours. The only time I feel bad about stuff I don't know is when it's mission stuff that I haven't bothered to learn and I know that I _should_ know it… and I don't like looking bad in front of you." He silenced her objections with a tender kiss and continued with a shrug, "Now, you can get a little… focused on things, yeah. But the truth is, I could listen to you all day, even when I don't understand a thing you're saying."

Linka gave a soft laugh, "Still, I would rather we talk about things we are both interested in. I like to listen to you too."

"Like you said, we'll find stuff." He gave her a squeeze and started them walking again. "Sooo… as first date's go, this hasn't been bad right? I mean, I've enjoyed it and I'd like to do it again."

His girlfriend grinned, "I think it has been a wonderful first date, and I definitely want to do it again. I just wish it did not have to wait because of my family."

"Our relationship isn't waiting on anything, we're going to your family as a couple. It doesn't matter how we spend time together, remember?" When she agreed, he stopped and took her in his arms again, "Although it's going to seem like a really long time if we can't do this…"

Their lips met and for a long time they forgot everything else.

When at last they parted Linka said, "I promise you Yankee, nothing is going to stop us doing that!"

* * *

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Thanks again for the reviews and follows, I hope you enjoy this next part!

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

"Linka!" Mischka leant forward and hugged his little sister before stepping aside for her to enter his home. He held his hand out to shake Wheeler's before ushering him into the house as well. "Is this all your luggage?"

The American nodded, putting down the two holdalls just inside the door. "We travel light these days, besides I think Linka still has some things here."

Her brother agreed but was interrupted by his Grandmother who wanted to hug 'her new grandson'.

Linka beamed at them, all troubles with her brother forgotten in the pleasure of seeing Wheeler being welcomed into her family, but her mood wasn't meant to last. A very attractive dark eyed woman with long deep brown hair and what could only be described as a voluptuous figure, entered the room from the kitchen. She was wearing trousers and a jumper, both of which had the sort of snug fit that left little to the imagination.

"Svetlana." Mischka smiled at his fiancée and put his arm around her as he made the introductions. "Do you remember my little sister Linka? And this is her boyfriend Wheeler."

The older woman gave her prospective relative a smile that Linka found completely insincere but when she would have given her a hug, the Planeteer stiffened and moved out of reach. "I do not hug."

Svetlana looked amused, and cast a quick glance in Wheeler's direction. "Really? That must make things… interesting."

"She means she doesn't hug strangers." The American put in, knowing it wouldn't take much for Linka to be rude and hoping to head off a fight. He offered his hand to shake.

The brunette pouted, "Don't tell me you don't hug strangers either."

Mischka laughed, "'Lana hugs everyone, Linka will get used to it."

 _I bet she does._ Wheeler and Linka both thought together, though they didn't know it.

The American hadn't missed the way he'd been sized up, nor did he misunderstand the way Svetlana squeezed his muscles when he gave her the necessary and, on his part, perfunctory hug.

"Why don't I show you where to put your things while Linka and her family get reacquainted?" She suggested to Wheeler, annoying his girlfriend even further.

"That is not necessary." Linka said quickly, moving to his side, "I will show him."

Grandmuska then re-entered the conversation by agreeing with her, and adding, "We will have tea ready when you are settled in."

Wheeler followed Linka to her bedroom and once more deposited the bags. He could see that she was seething so he closed the door and stopped her from pacing by pulling her into his arms.

"Did you like her?" She demanded almost at once.

"Nope." The red head lowered his lips to her neck making her eyes open wide.

"What are you doing?" She demanded. "And do not state the obvious."

Wheeler grinned against her neck, "I'm trying to distract you."

"From the train wreck my brother is making of his life?" She asked, beginning to feel the effects of his affection in spite of herself. "Jason… stop it."

"Not until I'm sure you're not going to go back out there and stab her with your teaspoon." He began to work on a particularly sensitive spot and she shivered and relaxed as her anger drained away.

Resting her head on his shoulder, Linka complained, "That is really not fair of you, she is a….a…"

"A predator." He supplied, finally bringing his head up to kiss her forehead, holding her comfortably against him. "She makes my blood run cold. But, Babe, we promised we'd try to find out what it is that Mischka sees in her before we say anything, right? Let's give it a couple of days."

"I like that 'We'" She told him, "But I am pretty sure that I know what he sees in her, it was practically on display."

Wheeler chuckled, "Yeah… Ouch." He rubbed his side where Linka had poked him. "No fair, like you said, what she's got is hard to miss, it doesn't mean I want it."

The Russian sighed. "We should go back out."

"Yeah… wait. If I'm sleeping in here, where are you sleeping?"

Amusement danced in Linka's eyes as she raised them to his, "You are not turning prudish on me are you?"

His eyes opened a little wider, "We're sharing?"

"Unless you do not trust me?" Wheeler's grin widened and he squeezed her tighter, "It was Grandmuska's idea, she thought it would be easier with Svetlana staying here. She did offer to let me share with her if it was not ok though."

"Thank you for trusting me." Her boyfriend said sincerely, sealing his words with a kiss.

Linka reached up and stroked his hair away from his face. "Of course I trust you." Her saucy look returned, "And you can trust me too because my grandmother is on one side and my big brother is on the other and the walls are quite thin."

He laughed and kissed her again, delaying their return to her family another few minutes.

* * *

The Planeteers returned to the living room to find Linka's grandmother sitting uncomfortably in her armchair.

"Is there something wrong Grandmuska?" the blond asked immediately but when the older woman shook her head, seated herself beside Wheeler within the circle of his arm.

"Come on Gram," he said cheeringly, "You can tell us."

She waved a hand dismissively, "Just an old woman's fancy. Svetlana likes to help, she leaves me nothing to do."

"Maybe you should enjoy the rest while you can? The novelty is bound to wear off soon." The American suggested encouragingly.

"That is what Mischka says." The old woman said with a sad smile, she clearly wasn't convinced but as they were interrupted by the other's return the conversation could go no further.

Her grandson was carrying a tray with several mugs, milk and sugar on it and he placed it on the coffee table around which the chairs were arranged.

"I thought it best to do this in here," His fiancée said, kneeling by the drinks, but letting Mischka hand one to Grandmuska and take his own. "I don't know how you like yours yet."

Wheeler answered for both of them, knowing that Linka was irritated on behalf of her relative and worried that she might make some cutting remark. It almost made him laugh because it was usually him and not her that said inappropriate things but when his Russian team mate was in a temper there was no saying what she might come out with.

"How did you get to know my brother?" Linka asked, making it sound a little like an accusation and the Fire Planeteer cast a quick glance at Mischka but he seemed not to notice her hostility.

Wheeler blew on the hot drink he'd just been given and tightened his arm about his girlfriend a fraction.

"We were at university together." Svetlana replied, smiling back at her partner. She offered Linka her beverage, nodding at her thanks and took her own before going to sit on Mischka's lap in the armchair across from their grandmother. "I was dating his friend for a while but we were still moving in the same circles when we broke up and we just found we liked spending time together."

She shrugged but it was the way Mischka laughed at her mention of a previous relationship that made Linka stiffen. How he could find amusement in something that seemed to Linka to prove that she went from one man to another, she didn't understand. Wheeler began to rub his thumb against her leg, both to offer comfort and as a distraction.

"Da," Mischka agreed, "We had never really spoken before that but 'Lana asked for my help with her Economics course and then we ran into each other at the student bar a few times. I never realised until then how much we had in common."

"Really?" Linka asked, "Like what?"

Wheeler looked at Gram hoping she could intervene but the older woman gave him a pained expression and a small shrug. She too knew what her granddaughter could be like when she had a bee in her bonnet… and perhaps they were enough alike that a part of her was pleased that Linka was asking the questions she didn't feel able to ask herself.

What wasn't helping was the fact that the American had caught Svetlana's expression when Mischka had begun to expound on their relationship and he had the distinct impression she wasn't happy about what he'd said. Though he had no intention of openly questioning their relationship he had begun to draw his own conclusions.

The Russian man was frowning, his sister's tone having been a little too obvious. "Many things. Linka I am sure this must seem like it is happening rather fast to you, in retrospect I wish I had told you about our relationship earlier, but please do not doubt how well Svetlana and I know each other. In fact in comparison, you and I are practically strangers."

Seeing the way she paled, his expression softened, "I did not mean that quite how it sounded. I am sure Wheeler knows you better than I do, and I am sorry for it, but it is simply a fact. Our lives are quite different now."

Linka swallowed back the tears that threatened to betray her more than her face already had. Wheeler's arm had slipped all the way around her and she was glad of it. "I suppose I never believed that you could change so much that you would…"

"That I would what?" his voice remained steady but there was an underlying challenge.

"That you would start hanging out with… certain types of people." She replied defiantly.

Her grandmother protested weakly and Wheeler murmured a soft, "Babe, don't.", but it was Svetlana that stopped Mischka from responding, though the anger in his eyes told its own tale. "Nyet, SOlnyshko moy. I know why she does not like me and I do not blame her."

Moisture accumulated becomingly around the older girl's eye lashes and she gave Linka a soulful look. "I am sorry Linka, I am sure you remember the reputation I had at school, I can see why you do not think I am good enough for your brother but…" she paused and then blurted out, "It was not true!"

"You do not have to explain yourself." Mischka growled.

"I want to." His fiancée told him, "I want Linka to understand, she is your sister, I want her to be mine too." When he didn't protest any further she looked back at the Planeteer for encouragement. She didn't receive any, except for Linka's silence but she took that as a reason to continue anyway. "I dated Evgeny for a long time, or it seemed like a long time to me, I was very young and naïve… I slept with him." She lowered her eyes, "It was a mistake and when we broke up he started making up lies about me and his friends. Of course they played along and I knew that if I denied it no one would believe me but going along with it… well it gave me a little power over them and I used it to my advantage. My reputation was already in ruins, the most I could do was humiliate some of them. I was very bitter and the sort of friends I attracted, well they were not really friends but I did not care. I behaved very badly."

She looked up at Wheeler through shinning eyes as if asking for his intervention with his girlfriend, "Please try to understand. University was my chance to start again, and I did. I did not think I would ever come back here but once I found Mischka… have you never done anything you regret?"

"All of that is in the past." Her fiancé stated, "Everyone deserves a second chance and Linka has too kind a heart not to give you one."

Linka forced a smile and nodded, feeling that there was nothing else she could do without appearing to be unreasonable.

Mischka and Svetlana beamed at her.

Grandmuska rose intending to take her mug out to the kitchen but her future granddaughter was at her side immediately, "Now Babushka there is no reason for you to get up. I will take that, you just sit there."

The old woman sighed and sat down again and Linka couldn't say anything because her brother was already telling her about some mutual friends of theirs, having decided to steer the conversation away from his relationship to give everyone a chance to calm down.

* * *

Linka had forgotten what it was like to share one bathroom amongst so many people. She had followed her Grandmother in getting ready for bed and was already settled beneath the covers, quietly reading, when Wheeler joined her some time later.

She looked up and smiled, admiring his bare chest and the way his sweat pants rode low on his hips, but said "Are you not cold?"

"Nah." He dumped his clothes on her chair and waited for her to make room for him beside her in the single bed, although there wasn't far for her to go. "This is gonna be cosy."

"Will you turn the light off please?"

"Yeah," He did as she asked and then joined her, pulling the covers up around them, letting her settle in his arms. "Your brother was telling me about your local soccer team, he seems quite keen to get me involved… they're having a practice session tomorrow."

Linka chuckled, "Mischka has always been quite active. I take it this means you would like to go with him?"

"I wouldn't mind… I mean I should probably get to know my girlfriend's family a bit better, right?"

Their eyes met in the moonlight spilling in through the window, "You are fooling no one Yankee moy, if you boys want to go and play with your balls, do not let me stop you."

Wheeler laughed out loud and she hushed him, "I _know_ you know what you said, you did it on purpose. Seriously though, I won't leave you if you want me here."

"Nyet, it is good. I will have a chance to see what Svetlana is like when Mischka is not around." She tilted her head up so that she could kiss him softly, "Spasiba… for offering to stay I mean."

He shrugged, "I came to support you." Returning her brief kiss he added, "Besides, I kinda like that I'm here as 'just the boyfriend', it feels normal, no big deal, you know? Even though we've never done this before they're taking it for granted that I'm one of the family now… does that sound weird?"

Linka's cheeks were a little pinker than normal but he couldn't see that in the almost monochrome light. The smile she gave him was shyer than normal however, "Nyet… I like it too."

Neither of them looked away and after a moment or two, the American leant down to bring their lips together, deepening the kiss as her supple frame curled around his in welcome.

"What was that?" Linka pulled away and sat up, unable to place the noise she had heard.

"Nothing." Wheeler rubbed her back reassuringly, hoping that the moment hadn't been lost and that she would return to his embrace. "You're just not used to the local night sounds anymore."

The Russian hesitated but would have let him coax her into forgetting about it if it hadn't occurred again a moment later, followed by another sound that she couldn't identify. Linka frowned, "Maybe an animal has got in? I should go and check…"

Wheeler swore and surprised her by pulling her back down against him. "Forget it, it's next door."

"It is not our neighbours, it is in this house!" she replied, a little annoyed. "Yankee, let me up, I am serious."

"So am I," he told her, still refusing to release her. "I meant next door as in the next room. That's Svetlana."

Still frowning Linka lifted her head to listen again and then flushed red as a louder, more masculine groan joined the first noise. "Bozhe'moy!"

The American laughed and pulled the covers over their heads in an effort to block out the other couple's activities. "You were right, the walls _are_ thin."

"It is not funny." She whispered, "They have no thought for anyone but themselves…. And I dread to think what he might catch."

"Babe, you're giving her a second chance, remember?"

Linka pursed her lips, "You believed her then?" The American sighed and she relented a little. "It is ok if you did… I am not even sure that I did not, but I cannot like her. Am I just being prejudiced? I promise not to get annoyed if you say I am."

There was silence between them and she began to think he wasn't going to answer but at last he said. "I don't know. Really. I think, yeah I think I believed her, but I know I don't trust her. Maybe she's just learned bad habits, she certainly doesn't give a good first impression. I don't think _I'm_ prejudiced, I don't know what it was."

"You do not?" his girlfriend asked, a tinge of sarcasm in her voice, "Perhaps it was the way she undressed you with her eyes while standing next to the man she is supposed to love… or perhaps it was the way her hands were squeezing you during her 'friendly hug'…."

"She offered to hug you too." He put in with some amusement.

"Are you saying that I imagined it?" The lovely blond asked indignantly.

Wheeler laughed, "No, she was totally sizing me up and copping a feel, and no, before you ask, I didn't enjoy it."

"I was not going to ask, you already told me that you do not like her that way. I was just establishing whether our first impressions of her were the same."

" **DA!"** Svetlana shrieked, making the Planeteers jump. **"OHHH MIIIIISCHAAA…"**

It was followed by some other words in Russian that Wheeler didn't know. "Hopefully they'll be done soon."

"I do not think so." Linka told him in a very quiet, embarrassed sort of way. "What she is saying… I wish I could not hear."

As the noises grew louder however they couldn't help listening, neither able to sleep nor distract themselves.

"She's faking it." The American commented after a while.

"How can you tell?" Linka replied, trying to adopt the same disinterested conversational tone he had used.

He shrugged, "I just can. Some girls overdo it because they think it's what their partners expect."

Svetlana screamed and yelled out some demands that were too much for the Wind Planeteer.

"I cannot stand this!" She scrambled frantically out of bed and ran from the room. Wheeler was right behind her but didn't catch up until they reached the kitchen, literally the furthest point in the house from her brother's room. It was fortunately quiet there.

Linka was trembling, tears tumbling down her cheeks as Wheeler pulled her back into his arms. "I am sorry. I know I am being stupid, he is a grown man and what he does in his own room is none of my business."

"Don't be sorry. They kind of made it our business Babe, I didn't want to hear it any more than you did, believe me. Besides, I have a feeling Svetlana meant for you to hear, it seems like the sort of thing she'd get a kick out of."

His girlfriend shivered and snuggled into his arms.

Pulling out a chair from the table, Wheeler sat and guided Linka into his lap, still holding her close.

After a while Linka broke the silence. "Jason… what do you expect?"

"Huh?"

"You said some girls do what they _think_ is expected of them and overdo it and that you can tell when it is fake…" She licked her lips nervously. "So I just wondered, when we… I mean, at some point… in the future… I should know what you _do_ expect."

A part of Wheeler was shocked that she wanted to have that conversation with him, but mostly he was thrilled that she considered it a matter of 'when' and not 'if'. Things had been going really well but he hadn't dared let himself believe that she saw their relationship exactly as he did.

"Honesty." He said simply. "I don't expect or want any more than for you to react honestly."

Linka thought that over for a minute and then said, "That is good, because I do not think I am capable of faking it, if tonight is anything to go by."

They laughed together, gradually relaxing again.

When Linka fell asleep with her head on his shoulder, her adoring American lifted her carefully and carried her back to bed, relieved to find their room peaceful once more.

* * *

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

The sun was barely up when Mischka opened his sister's bedroom door the following morning, calling loudly for Wheeler before shutting it again with a bang.

The American groaned and snuggled his girlfriend closer, "What'd he want?"

Linka sighed, "You told him you would join him for football practice, da?"

"You're kidding me, it's still night time!" He pulled the blankets over their heads shutting out the light.

Chuckling, the lovely blond pressed feathery kisses up his neck and along his jaw. "He will get impatient with you if you do not get up."

Wheeler had automatically begun responding but asked, "Are you trying to convince me to get up or to stay here?"

"Mmm," was her only response as she entwined their limbs closer together, pressing her soft warm body against his firmer one, playing her fingers over the muscles of his shoulders and arms.

He'd never imagined her to be so affectionate. No matter how many times a similar scenario had played out in his head, it had always been him taking the lead, challenging her and carefully guiding her to new discoveries, but this… this was so much better!

Wheeler's lips suddenly devoured hers with a passion that took her breath away, his hands sliding under her pyjama top in quest of bare skin, though he kept them respectfully on her back. Linka kissed him back without hesitation or apparent concern for where it was going and when he began to work his way down her neck, nipping and sucking in a way that made her squirm beneath him, the expression on her face was blissful excitement.

He'd just nuzzled his way along the line of her top, managing to slip a hand round to loosen a few buttons without disturbing her, and was beginning to explore the shapely mounds beneath when Mischka's voice once more disturbed them, though he was shouting this time.

" **Wheeler! You will not have time for breakfast!"**

The American groaned and let his head rest for a moment against his girlfriend's supple skin. "He's not going to let this go is he?"

"Nyet," Linka laughed, "And he will come back to get you so you had better go and get ready."

"You wanna come and watch?" he asked, pushing himself up on his knees astride her, letting the light in between them and making her blush as he took in the scene he'd uncovered.

Linka fought the urge to cover herself, "Watch you? In the bathroom? I do not think we are _there_ yet Yankee."

He laughed loudly at that and tenderly brushed the backs of his fingers over one heated cheek, and then down the centre of her chest, not quite touching her more sensitive areas but setting her senses on fire anyway. "I meant watch me play soccer but hey, if you wanna share, I'm game."

She caught his hand, smiling up at him in a way that let him know she'd understood all along. "Nyet, stop teasing me and go play with my brother."

"I don't think it's me doing the teasing," He leant down to claim one last lingering kiss and then climbed out of bed and began gathering his clothes. "You just gonna stay there?"

"Da." She stretched her arms above her head, letting her top fall open completely.

"You're a wicked woman." He told her, grinning appreciatively as he walked back to the bed and pulled the covers up over her chest. "You know that?"

Linka gazed up into his smiling eyes. "Only for you."

He gave her a light kiss on the tip of her nose. "Walking out of here right now is possibly the hardest thing I've ever done."

"That was the general idea," She teased.

* * *

"You are up late darling," Grandmuska told her granddaughter, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Da," she grinned, "Just torturing my Yankee, he hated having to get out of bed before me, I am always the first one up."

Linka had waited for Wheeler and Mischka to leave the house before rising and checking that the bathroom was free. Now fully dressed and ready for the day she made herself a coffee and then sat beside her relative at the kitchen table.

"I thought you said you did not usually share a bed?" the older woman laughed, clearly not having believed it in the first place.

"We do not," Linka blushed, "I did not say we got out of the same bed, and I meant I was up before everyone, I do not usually see Jason before mid-morning unless I wake him up."

Grandmuska patted her hand, "Do not worry I have a feeling that is going to change, or at least he will find a way to keep you there with him."

Linka choked on her coffee, making the older woman laugh "Grandmuska!"

Her grandmother left her to her embarrassment as she started breakfast.

"Did Svetlana go with them?" The Planeteer ventured after a while.

"Nyet, she is not an early riser… which is not surprising considering how much sleep she gets." There was a hint of annoyance in the old Russian's voice.

Linka snorted, "Da, we heard."

Grandmuska waved that away, "I mean that she stays out late, I do not like having the doors unlocked at that time of night."

"Where does she go?" Linka asked with a frown.

"Who knows? Mischka says she just visits friends but he does not go with her."

Rising to help bring the plates to the table Linka said thoughtfully, "I thought she said all the friends she had here were bad influences that she wanted to get away from?"

Her grandmother's lips tightened into a straight line, "It's Mischka's business and he has made it clear that I should keep out of it."

Linka on the other hand had no intention of keeping out of it and would have continued the conversation if Svetlana hadn't walked in just then.

She was looking tired and rumpled in one of her fiancé's old t-shirts that didn't attempt to cover the small lacy underwear she had on her bottom half. "Just coffee."

The Planeteer rolled her eyes, not really surprised by the other girl's appearance but she was annoyed by the request which was practically an order. Apparently she wasn't quite as friendly when Mischka wasn't around. Of course she had just woken up, Linka chided herself, remembering that she'd promised Wheeler that she would give her a chance.

The resolve didn't last five minutes because as soon Svetlana's eyes were open properly she began giving instructions about what she wanted for her engagement party, it was only when she saw Linka's expression that she seemed to give herself a mental shake. "It's so wonderful to have other women around to plan it with, you don't know how much I've missed that."

"I am sure it's going to be a great evening," Linka replied, giving her a weak smile.

* * *

Mischka ran through some of the game rules as he guided Wheeler along the narrow streets into a part of town that the American hadn't seen before.

"Rough neighbourhood?" he asked during a lull in the conversation, nodding at the graffiti which had been getting more frequent the further they went. There was more litter there too and signs of disrepair.

Mischka hesitated, looking around as if seeing it properly for the first time, "Nyet," he said slowly, "Just poor. Many of us have to travel to other towns for work now that the mine is closed, we do not have the time or the energy to worry about such things."

Wheeler wanted to argue. He wanted to explain how little effort it really took when people got together to help, he wanted to warn him of the dangers of letting an area decay through apathy, and if it had been anyone other than his girlfriend's big brother or even if he'd known him better, he would have done. The Russian had seemed somewhat defensive however so he just resolved to speak to Linka about it later.

A few moments later they reached the edge of town and the buildings gave way to fields, the closest of which was a sickly, muddy green with a football pitch marked out on it in white and an old shed to one side that a couple of young men were retrieving supplies from.

There were others already warming up, and one of them, a handsome well-built young man with short dark hair and darker eyes, broke away from the group to greet them. Mischka answered him in Russian but then switched to English as he introduced Wheeler, "This is Anatoly, he and I have been friends since we were babies."

"Pleased to meet you." Wheeler shook the other man's hand but was already wondering if he was the friend that had asked Linka out, he had a feeling from the way he was sizing him up, that he was.

Anatoly nodded in acknowledgement, "You can play on Vasily's team, he is a man down. Leonid had a run in with Krupin and Vakhrov."

Mischka stiffened beside the American but before he could ask any questions, led him out onto the pitch to start their exercises.

Rather than having a full football kit, the two sides pulled on old t-shirts over their own, and made do with their jeans and trainers.

Vasily had welcomed Wheeler rather more warmly than the other man, as had his team, and as he proved to be a quick learner when it came to game play they were soon fast friends. As he was inexperienced they put him in centre midfield but he soon showed he didn't need any help when he successfully tackled one of Mischka's men and passed the ball to their striker at some distance, with ease.

They were winning two – nil when Anatoly collided with him at speed, sending him crashing to the ground with a cry. The game was halted and Mischka ran over to see if he was alright.

"It's fine, it's fine," Wheeler waved them off, not wanting to show any weakness even though he felt bruised in multiple places and when he stood he winced from a pain in his leg.

"You are bleeding," Mischka said, noting a gash in his shirt and when they looked at the ground they saw a sharp shard of glass that looked like it came from a broken bottle.

Wheeler opened the gap in his top to find a fine line carved over his chest, it wasn't deep but it was seeping blood. "Just a scratch."

The others agreed to call time however, wanting Wheeler to get his wound seen to in case it got infected, as well as deciding to check the ground for anything more dangerous.

"This should not have happened." Mischka's best friend said guiltily, "It was not my intention, the pitch should have been safe…"

The American gave him an amused look – sure that he knew what was behind that remark – though he took his words as an apology all the same, "It was an accident man, don't worry about it."

* * *

"Oh Yankee, what happened!" Linka rushed forward to put Wheeler's free arm around her shoulder as he limped into the house.

"Just an accident, nothing serious, I don't need help." He kissed her temple however and didn't release her. "I'm going to get a shower if that's ok. I don't want to mess your furniture up with mud. I won't be long."

Linka hesitated but her brother sent her after him by telling her about the cut. "Yankee, Mischka said that you are bleeding?"

Wheeler sighed and pulled his top off so that she could inspect the wound, "It's nothing, he shouldn't have worried you."

She glared, "It is not nothing. Have your shower, I will be waiting for you in the bedroom."

"Oh yeah?" He said hopefully, his eyes dancing with mischief, making her roll hers.

"With a first aid kit. Do not take too long and if the bleeding increases stop and come out." She sighed, "You can leave your things in the bathroom, I will see to them later."

He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, "Thanks for caring."

It wasn't long before he joined her, wearing nothing but a towel, his hair still wet. Linka blushed but told him to sit beside her on the bed so that she could inspect his wound. He'd done a good job of cleaning it already and the blood flow had been stopped by the water but she went over it anyway and then attached a dressing.

"Do you need any help dressing?" She asked, her fingers still playing over his bare stomach as if trying to soothe his wound with her touch. "You are limping badly."

Hearing the worry in her voice Wheeler laughed and pulled her closer, his arms wrapping neatly around her waist, "Babe, I'm fine. I've done worse running with you on the beach, I just need to rest it for a couple of hours."

She stroked his hair away from his face, "I do not like to see you hurting."

"I know," He kissed her, "We could always go back to bed, you could keep a _very_ close eye on me there."

"I have things to do for the party tonight," She said regretfully.

He tilted his head in the general direction of the kitchen, "How are 'things'?"

Linka shook her head, "It is not good Yankee, Svetlana goes from demanding one minute to impatient and controlling the next, only she pretends that it is all meant well and in fun. Poor Grandmuska feels like she is in the way in her own house, she does not say it but I can see how much it hurts her."

Wheeler hugged her close, letting her find her own strength in his embrace.

"I am glad that you are here," she told him, snuggling her face into his shoulder, and then with a gentle squeeze, "Not just because of Svetlana."

He chuckled and kissed the nearest patch of skin, which happened to be a sensitive spot on her neck that made her shiver. "I'm glad I'm here too Beautiful."

Letting him up to get dressed, Linka turned her back and picked up her book, trying to ignore the temptation to watch. Then when he gave the all clear, tucked herself back under his arm offering support as they made their way into the lounge.

She was just insisting that he put his feet up when Mischka joined them.

"All this fuss over a minor injury," Mischka tried to joke her out of it, but not very well, "He is too used to all that armour, at least now he has played a man's game."

Linka shot him a filthy look, as Wheeler pulled her down to sit at his side, "He plays basketball, that is quite manly enough! Besides, Football is supposed to be a non-contact sport."

"It was an accident," Mischka told her, "They happen sometimes, Wheeler is not bothered by it, do not blow it out of proportion."

"He's right," Her boyfriend said softly as he felt her bristle, "I was having fun, I'm just sorry it stopped the match, I'd have carried on if they'd let me."

The older man nodded in approval and though she clearly didn't like it, Linka let the matter drop.

* * *

To be continued…


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Thanks again for reading and reviewing! :)

* * *

 **Chapter Nine**

"Come in." Linka turned from her mirror in which she'd been admiring her sleeveless, chiffon dress of pale blue.

Wheeler paused on the threshold and stared. "You look Beautiful." He'd donned his own black suit trousers and shirt in the bathroom to give her some privacy.

The Russian laughed and the golden curls that were cascading around her shoulders shook as if blown by the breeze. "You always say that."

"Well it's always true," He grinned, stepping forward to carefully place his hands on the silver filigree belt at her waist from where the pleated top, which so neatly showed off her figure, flared out into a floor length skirt. "But it's especially true tonight. You look like a… wind nymph."

She burst into a fit of giggles at his attempt at poetry but she liked the attention, which he could tell. Smoothing her fingers over the buttons of his shirt, the collar of which he'd left undone, Linka said, "You look very handsome tonight too, Jason."

Wheeler huffed in a pretend frustration, "Damn, I was going for sexy."

Her laughter bubbled up again and he found himself thinking that he'd never seen her so happy, even if he was taking her to the dreaded engagement party.

"Sexiness is not something you 'go for'," She argued anyway, "It is something you radiate naturally."

"Do I?" he teased back, stealing a wary 'Am I going to mess your lipstick up?' kind of kiss.

Rolling her eyes (and having faith in her gloss despite it not being tested on animals,) she brought their lips back together in a manner which left them both breathless. "Does that answer your question Yankee moy?"

"Hmm yeah, kinda, but I think I'd like to explore it a little more anyway." He would have pulled her back to him but she held him off.

"After the party, it will be our second date, da?" she sounded so pleased he laughed and agreed with her, though he had a terrible feeling that neither of them were going to enjoy it.

* * *

"Nyet Babushka, there is no need for you to keep getting up." Svetlana's tone was affectionate but with an underlying hint of steel that was almost a threat. "Mischka and I will greet the guests, I have it all in hand."

Linka squeezed her boyfriend's hand a little too hard as she struggled not to say anything. He winced but squeezed back and led her over to the buffet table over which a sumptuous feast had been laid, "At least we'll eat well, let's make up a plate for Gram too."

"Because she is not allowed to move from her chair?" the Russian asked sarcastically making him grimace again. "I do not know how she got Mischka to pay for all of this, have you seen how much alcohol there is? It must be a month's wages."

"He didn't pay for it." Wheeler said, lowering his voice, "He told me that her parents insisted on paying since they can't make it tonight."

She gave him a wary look, "Do you not find that in itself a little bit strange?"

"No. I find it damn strange." He shook his head. "Her parents must be well off though."

"Not based on where they live, they are not. I still do not know where she got the money from for university either, I asked her about her job while she was there and she said that she did not have time for one." The Planeteer shrugged.

They carried some refreshments over to her grandmother and chatted with her for a while before being approached by Anatoly.

"Linka, so lovely, we miss you greatly when you are gone." He bent to give her a brief hug, or at least she'd expected it to be brief but it lingered until it made her uncomfortable enough to pull away. "And Wheeler, how are your injuries?"

"Better for having such an excellent nurse," Wheeler slipped his arm around Linka's waist and used his response as an excuse to kiss her, holding her there just a little longer than his rival's hug.

Grandmuska chuckled and the now seething young man recalled himself, bending down to greet her and give her a quick peck on the cheek.

Linka hadn't missed the way he'd looked at Wheeler however and when Mischka called him away she said, "… I am beginning to wonder if your football injury was not an accident."

"I'm sure it wasn't." Wheeler said with amusement. "But I can't say I blame the guy, if you'd picked him, I'd have been looking for a reason to do him an injury too."

Linka shook her head, "You might have openly picked a fight with him, but I do not believe you would have done something so underhanded."

Before Wheeler could respond his companion said something in Russian that earnt a soft reproof from her Grandmother, though based on the expression on both their faces she was thinking the same thing. Svetlana had pulled a young man he didn't know into the centre of the room and was dancing with him in a way she probably should have reserved for her fiancé, while Mischka stood to the side talking to one of the guys from football, pretending he hadn't noticed.

Trying to distract his girlfriend, the fire planeteer gave her a gentle nudge and nodded in the direction of two men standing a little apart from the rest. "What's their story?"

They were watching a group of women, the partners of Mischka's friends and while he could neither hear not understand what they were saying he knew their body language well enough to know it wasn't respectful.

Linka made a disgusted noise, "Krupin and Vakhrov. Two of Svetlana's 'old friends'… I remember her once saying, very loudly, that they like to share _**everything**_."

"She did say the stories about her were made up…" Wheeler hedged and then rolled his eyes as the young woman in question laughed drunkenly and began a complex search for her dance partner's tonsils with her tongue. "I don't know why I bother."

"Neither do I," Linka smiled at him, distracted by his annoyance into forgetting her own, "But it is sweet of you to try. I am just afraid that if Mischka does not see through her tonight there is no hope for him."

One or two other couples had taken to the dance floor so again Wheeler sought to distract her, "Dance with me?"

Linka nodded and settled into his arms, swaying to the music at a gentle pace and resting her head on his shoulder. There was peace there and she'd almost managed to forget her troubles when there was a crash in the kitchen and she opened her eyes to see her brother dash through the doorway. Svetlana didn't appear to notice.

There was a muffled sound of raised voices and then Mischka led a flustered young woman back to her partner saying, "Just a minor mishap, nothing to worry about."

Tucking her head back into her boyfriend's neck, Linka didn't see Krupin and Vakhrov emerge from the same direction a couple of minutes later but Wheeler did, and he tightened his arms around her protectively.

As the night wore on and the drinking continued, the behaviour of Svetlana's friends became more lewd and so did their language. There was a group of them laughing and joking together while only Anatoly remained of Mischka's guests, something Wheeler had to respect him for.

Grandmuska had attempted to go to her room when things got a little too noisy and had got very upset when she found it occupied. Wheeler and Mischka had dealt with that but it had taken Linka some time to calm her down.

"I do not think they are ever going to leave," Linka complained, drawing ever closer to Wheeler. "You know, if you were not here I would have locked myself in with Grandmuska by now."

"Thank God for that!" The tension in his body was very noticeable. "I'm surprised Mischka's putting up with it, he looks ready to kill."

Linka glared, "He is drinking too."

When Linka excused herself to go to the bathroom, Wheeler wandered over to speak to her brother, "Svetlana seems to be having a good time." It seemed a safe bet since she was sitting on some guy's lap and he wasn't entirely sure where his hands were.

"She was not like this at university," the older man said bitterly.

"Maybe you should step in…" Wheeler suggested as diplomatically as he could, "You know, save her from herself."

Mischka snorted, "She does not want saving. She is impatient with our life here, she seeks excitement."

Anatoly unexpectedly entered the conversation on Wheeler's side, "Da, but she is marrying you and she seems to have forgotten that."

That seemed to trigger something in Mischka, he suddenly put down his glass and strode over to pull his fiancée to her feet and then to the kitchen. The shouting was muffled and produced much laughter from their friends but only Mischka emerged a few minutes later and when he did, he announced the party was over.

It took a little help from both Wheeler and Anatoly to clear everyone out but finally they were able to wish Mischka's friend a goodnight. The American even suggested that they should walk him home but as he only lived across the road they were able to watch him return to his house in safety before locking up for the night.

* * *

Wheeler breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Mischka's bedroom door close behind the couple. "I think those two are going to be having words."

"I hope so." Linka agreed, beginning to sort out the food that could be kept and what would have to be disposed of.

Wanting to help, though the mess was considerable, Wheeler chose to collect glasses and plates from the various places they'd been left and carry them out ready to be washed up. On his third trip he said, "We might have to finish this in the morning, or we'll be up all night."

"Da. Svetlana should do it, it was her friends that left it like this." Linka sounded half sulky and half annoyed so Wheeler put down what he'd gathered and walked up behind to her wrap his arms around her waist and a press a kiss in her curls.

"Yeah but when it comes to cleaning up waste, we're the professionals, right Babe?"

That earned him a smile but she said, "I do not like leaving it like this for Grandmuska to find but if we are going to get up for Church tomorrow, we really need some sleep."

"Uh… Church?" he was obviously uncomfortable with the idea so she stopped what she was doing and turned in his arms. "Since when do you go to Church, Babe?"

"I always go when I am home…. Is it a problem?" she frowned.

Wheeler shrugged, "Not if I can stay here, it's not."

"Oh… ok." She looked like she wanted to ask him questions but was hesitating until he quietly told her to "go on." Linka shrugged, "I know we have not talked about it but you celebrate Christmas, I just assumed…"

"Yeah well, I was brought up to it so it'd be weird not to, and besides, Christmas is more about presents these days than religion." He looked into her eyes trying to assess the trouble he was getting himself into. "I'm sorry Babe, but to be honest, I might as well believe in Santa as God, neither of them featured heavily in my childhood."

Not wanting him to see the pain his words caused, Linka reached up to put her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.

He held her back, giving her a few moments and then, "Is it a deal breaker?"

"Nyet of course not." She kissed his neck soothingly, but had to ask, "Is it for you? My going to church I mean?"

"No! No, Babe, nothing will ever be a deal breaker where you're concerned, certainly not something like this." He returned her kiss just above the line of her dress. Again he could feel her holding back and he gave her a squeeze, "What? Tell me!"

"It is nothing," and when he pulled back to look at her with an expression that let her know he wasn't going to let it go, "It is not a suitable conversation for a second date."

Wheeler shook his head, "Why not? This isn't just some date Linka, we've known each other for years. If it's important we should talk about it… we're building a future here, right?"

Her smile was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud, and it did away with the hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Right but... I was just wondering if… if we were ever to have any children, what would you want them to be brought up knowing? I am getting ahead of myself!"

"Nah, it's fine." He grinned at her, "I'd want them to be told the truth, that includes what I believe, what you believe and what Kwame, Ma-Ti and Gi believe too. Let them decide for themselves what's right."

Linka nodded in agreement, "That works for me."

When gazing into each-other's eyes turned into embarrassed laughter Wheeler said, "How about we leave this for now then? I'll get working on it while you're at Church."

"Ok, just let me finish this, otherwise it will smell by morning." She turned back to her task and he released her, going back to his own while he waited for her.

"You should have just gone and got ready for bed," Linka told him twenty minutes later when they finally headed towards their bedroom.

He shrugged. He'd wanted to make sure everything was locked up safely, the drunken antics of Svetlana's friends still had him a little on edge. "At least it's all quiet tonight."

"Da, although I was expecting arguing rather than… anything else." She blushed.

They entered her room together and while Wheeler pulled his shirt out of his trousers and started unbuttoning it immediately, Linka paused. "Do you need the bathroom?"

"Yeah, you want me to go in first? You have like make up and stuff to do right?" he dropped his shirt on the floor and her eyes were drawn to the firm lines of his chest.

"Da, but would you undo the clasp of my dress before you go please?" She turned around and lifted her hair out of the way, "It is always easier to do it up on this dress for some reason."

The warmth radiating from her body and the softness of her skin, as he fumbled with the metal catch had his senses on overload and as the material fell open revealing her back he couldn't stop himself from placing a few kisses there, or when she shivered with pleasure, could he help sliding his arms back around her waist and continuing the onslaught of her pale skin over her shoulder and along the line of her neck.

Linka closed her eyes, letting the dress fall from her shoulders, and with some slight help from Wheeler, over her hips to the floor. He gently turned her around so that he could claim her lips and she melted into him, her fingers running over his bare chest as if she'd been longing to do so all along. Her slip and his trousers had also found their way to the ground before his brain caught up, "Woah, we're not supposed to be doing this, are we?"

"Says who?" She gasped and then as sense rushed back in she went red, "I am sorry, you are right…"

"The one time you admit that I'm right and I'd give anything not to be," He made her laugh but as he was still running his hands lightly over curves it was hard for her to concentrate.

At last she stepped free of him and walked to the bed to retrieve her night things, "You were going to use the bathroom. Besides I need to be up early and…"

"Thin walls?" he suggested, then continued with, "Babe you don't need to make excuses, I wasn't trying anything I just got caught up in you, in us. It's gonna happen but it doesn't have to go anywhere."

"Me too." She admitted, holding her pyjamas to her, though she wasn't really trying to hide herself, her underwear covered more than her bikini had and he had seen more than that anyway. "I am just not as used to feeling this way as you are, it is ok though."

He tilted his head and gave her a quirky smile, "I'm not used to dealing with the way _you_ make me feel. The only reason I have any control is because I'm more afraid of screwing this up than I have ever been about anything."

Linka bit her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling too broadly, "And the reason I do not have any control is that you are not screwing up anything, in fact you are getting this very right. I _know_ that I am not ready to take our physical relationship further, I am not even awake enough tonight, but when you touch me I do not want you to stop."

She thought he looked adorable when he was embarrassed and when he started for the bathroom she added saucily, "Maybe you should take a cold shower while you are there Yankee moy?"

"No point," He grinned back at her, "The minute I see you again I'll be right back where I started."

* * *

To be continued…


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Thanks again for the reviews, and the extra follows. I'm sorry I've kept you waiting, it's been a busy week.

* * *

 **Chapter Ten**

"Jason." Linka kissed him sweetly and brushed his hair from his face, smiling as he forced his eyes open. "We are going now."

"We are?" he blinked, trying to make sense of what she was saying, "You're dressed."

Linka chuckled, "Da, I am going to church remember? I just thought you would like know before I left."

He nodded and let his head fall back on the pillow, "Thanks Babe, I'll get up in a minute."

"No rush." She leant down and kissed him again, lingering when he responded. It was strange to leave him in her bed that way but she didn't really mind. He caught her hand briefly as she moved away, smiling at her with a peaceful if sleepy expression.

When she arrived at the lounge her Grandmother was frowning slightly and as they left the house she held her back to whisper, "Are you sure you should leave him here with _her_ , darling?"

Linka gave the older woman a hug, "Do not worry about Jason, he can take care of himself."

* * *

"I cannot stand all the fake piety, can you?" Svetlana's voice woke Wheeler from the light doze he'd slipped into. "Mischka can be so self- righteous at times but he does not complain when I use my mouth on him… but then no man does, da?"

Wheeler pushed himself up into a sitting position and leant back against the headboard, watching her suspiciously. "Ever heard the phrase 'too much information'?"

She laughed and straightened from where she'd been leaning (or as Wheeler saw it, posing,) against the door jam. Before he could object she'd slipped the small silk nightdress she wore over her shoulders and shimmied out of it. "Is this also too much information?"

The American's body wasn't immune to what she'd revealed but he was far too angry to react the way she'd expected, "Way too much! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Do not try to tell me that little virgin you call a girlfriend is enough for a man like you, I know better." She sashayed into the room and over to the bed, "When was the last time you let yourself go, 'Yankee'?"

"This isn't funny Svetlana, get out now and I won't mention it to Mischka," he glared at her, "I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're still drunk."

She laughed and ran her hands down her naked body caressingly, "I always get what I want eventually… I bet you like to watch."

Wheeler made a disgusted noise and got out of the other side of the bed, intending to make his way past her to the bathroom.

Annoyed that he was apparently not tempted by her show, Svetlana stepped in front of him. "You will do what I tell you, I know things about you, things that you would not want this 'oh so good' family to know."

"Like what?" he asked crossing his arms over his chest and wondering if he could move her without actually touching her.

"You were arrested as a child for stealing alcohol, but the police let you off with a caution," She smirked triumphantly at the shocked look on his face, "You see we are not that different."

Wheeler grabbed her upper arms without thinking about it and shook her, though not very roughly "How the hell do you know that? No one knows that!"

She laughed, "I have connections… you look like you want to kill someone, but I bet you know a better way to let off your frustrations. Take me hard Wheeler, punish me if you like, and I promise I will not tell anyone your secrets."

He released her, pushing her away as he did so, her words acting like a bucket of cold water, though it was his temper that had needed cooling down, not his libido. "Do you usually have to blackmail guys into fucking you? It's kinda pathetic."

Svetlana's face changed from a pouty come on to incandescent rage in a second, her hand came up to slap him but he blocked it.

"Tell Linka anything you want," He continued un-phased, "If it's a lie she'll see right through you but if it's the truth she'll understand, because she cares about me, you should try caring about someone other than yourself sometime."

Too enraged to speak, she turned and left, and not long after he got in the shower Wheeler heard the front door slam.

* * *

Wheeler was washing up when he heard Linka and her family return and came to meet them looking graver than usual.

"You have been cleaning up, you did not have to." Linka greeted him with a kiss, obviously pleased despite her words, "I hope Svetlana has been helping you?"

"Actually…" He swallowed, knowing all three of them were listening and not looking forward to what he had to relate. Before he could get the words out however the front door flew open again.

Svetlana ran in and threw her arms around Mischka's neck, sobbing very loudly, "I am so glad you are home, I was so afraid, please do not let him touch me!"

Wheeler rolled his eyes, knowing immediately where this was going.

"What is wrong?" Mischka held his fiancée away from him so that he could look into her eyes, only to find one side of her face swelling with bruises, "What happened?"

She cast a fearful glance at Wheeler, "I would not… he tried to… I suppose my behaviour last night gave him the wrong idea about me, I am so ashamed. I know I should not drink, I have no control, but I would never willingly betray you… not sober!"

Mischka looked at the American and Wheeler could see that he was torn. It was Linka however that answered the unspoken question. "She is making it up to cause trouble, it is exactly what I expected of her."

Svetlana turned on her, pointing at her own face, "Do you think I did this to myself? You should take this as a warning Linka, it will be you next… or was it your idea? What did you expect of me? To give in to his advances, is that it? You put him up to it!"

"Do not talk nonsense!" Grandmuska stepped in on her Granddaughter's behalf, bringing on a fresh wave of tears.

"Your family hates me Mischka, I was wrong to ever come back here, you must hate me too…" she seemed to try to pull away but her fiancé stopped her.

Mischka held her to him but didn't say anything to reassure her, nor did he look at any member of his family as he spoke, "Wheeler I am afraid I will have to ask you to leave."

" **What?!** " Linka was furious, " **She is a whore, we all saw that last night, you cannot possibly take her side in this!** "

"Don't Linka," Her boyfriend said softly, "I'll go to the bed and breakfast 'til you're ready to go home."

He headed for the bedroom but it was apparent that Linka intended to continue regardless. Mischka tightened his grip on the now shaking young woman, "If you intend to stay I must ask you to speak respectfully to and of, my future wife."

Linka reigned in her temper so that she wasn't shouting when she replied but he could still hear her emotions in her voice, "Do not worry I am not staying, but I know Jason much better than you will ever know Svetlana and he would never do what she accused him of. It is against his nature." She walked away but then stopped and turned back, adding in a much kinder tone, "If you really want to help her, find out who _did_ hit her."

Wheeler had just finished stuffing his things into his bag when Linka entered their room, "Babe, I swear I didn't…"

"Please, let us just get out of here," She told him brushing tears from her eyes.

"You don't have to leave because of me…" he replied guiltily, feeling bad even though he knew he had done nothing to deserve it. He couldn't help wondering what she was thinking, and how far she blamed him.

Linka shook her head, packing as fast as she could while still folding everything carefully. "I do have to leave, because of _her_. I knew how it would be."

The American sighed, "I'm sorry. I came here to help and I just made it worse."

A little of what he was feeling finally penetrated the red haze that was surrounding her and she stopped what she was doing to wrap her arms around him, "Nyet Yankee, you did help. I gave her a chance that I would not otherwise have given her, it is too bad she did not give herself one."

Svetlana was nowhere in sight when they brought their bags out into the lounge but a tearful Grandmuska came forward at once to hug them which just made them feel worse.

Mischka refused to meet their eyes as he held the door open for them and after Linka had passed by him without a word or glance, Wheeler paused to look at his girlfriend's brother straight in the eyes "I didn't touch her Mischka, she's lying, and I think you know that. But whatever you think of me, don't let her come between you and Linka, it's too important."

The older man looked away first, "Take care of her."

"Always." Wheeler replied sadly.

* * *

Wheeler and Linka ran through the pre-flight checks with professional efficiency and an otherwise awkward silence that continued for the first ten minutes of the flight. It was broken by Gaia, asking them to divert course to join the others, who had been called to help a relief effort the day before. "The flooding was bad but it was over quickly, so I'd intended to let you finish your weekend but as you're coming home anyway…"

"It is fine Gaia, we are on our way." Linka had told her, and they'd relapsed into silence.

Not being able to stand it any longer the Fire Planeteer began with, "I was going to suggest we go out to dinner, just the two of us, to give us a chance to talk, but I guess that's out of the question now."

"Da." Linka agreed, keeping her attention on flying and not giving him any clues about how she was feeling.

A few more minutes and then, "Look, I know I haven't had the best track record, I understand if you're having doubts about me…"

Linka looked around in surprise and confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"Flirting, only I didn't, I swear! She came to your room and practically demanded I fu... uh, well anyway she didn't like it when I turned her down. She threatened to tell you stuff about me and I told her to go ahead, and then she stormed out. I didn't expect her to come back with a black eye."

Understanding dawning she put their craft into autopilot and held her hands out to him. "Jason I did not doubt you for one moment, I thought you knew that. The story she told… well it is just not you, even if we had not been together and I had no hold over you, I would have known it was lies. It is my brother's sanity that I am having doubts about."

Wheeler released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, then he undid his seat belt so that he could stand up and lean down to kiss her.

When he finally returned to his seat, retaining one of her hands in his, she said, "You know I do not think that even Mischka believed her, not really."

"He didn't," Wheeler replied with conviction, "If he had, he'd have told me to stay the hell away from his sister too."

"Then why? I know they say that love is blind but I am not sure that I even believe that he does love her."

"Pride maybe?" the American shrugged, "Maybe he's just hoping that the girl he knew at College is the real one. It's Gram I feel sorry for."

Linka nodded sadly, "Da I hated leaving her like that."

"You know, I can't get it out of my head that something else is going on, too much doesn't add up."

The Russian cast him an interested glance, "Go on."

He shrugged, "Just some of the things she said… I'm not going to repeat them, let's just say she convinced me she doesn't love him. And it was like she was desperate to get me to sleep with her, which doesn't make sense, we obviously didn't need to do anything for her to cause trouble between you."

"You probably broke her record." Linka pulled a face making him laugh.

"Nah, there was more to it, I'm sure of it… even how they met sounded suspicious to me but I thought I was imagining it when they told us, you know, getting too caught up with how _you_ felt." He sighed but he wasn't done. "There's something else she said, something I need to tell you. It's not a secret, just one of those 'not a first date discussion' kind of things."

He explained about the arrest and she proved her understanding immediately by saying, "You stole it for your Papa."

"Yeah, I was still young and stupid enough to want his approval. He came and got me from the Police Station and I'm fairly sure they knew exactly how things stood, the cops were pretty nice to me actually. Dad told me I was a loser but at least he never asked me to do it again."

"You stopped me from hitting Svetlana, you might need to stop me again when I meet your father." She said, only half joking.

Wheeler laughed and lifted the hand he was holding to his lips.

Linka smiled at him but then frowned, "And Svetlana knew about this?"

"Not about Dad, but yeah." He shrugged, "She said she had connections and figured it meant we had something in common, like I didn't belong there any more than she did."

"She was wrong." His girlfriend told him firmly, "Everything would have been perfect if she had not been there."

The American smiled at her but said, "Yeah, but fair's fair Babe, if she hadn't been in the picture you might never have taken me home with you."

Linka glanced round at him and said shyly, "I think I would… it might have taken me longer to admit that I needed you but it is not like my feelings for you are new."

"Good to hear." He said it jokingly but she could see the impact her assurances had on him and it made her glad she'd said it.

* * *

To be continued…


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Thanks so much for the fast responses... and special thanks to Becks for Svetlana's new nickname ;)

I hope you enjoy this next installment!

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven**

Seeing people in distress always took its toll on Linka, though instead of crying and becoming useless in her empathy she tended to be practical, if somewhat withdrawn. With her present worries on top, the Wind Planeteer threw herself into her work with everything she had, hoping it would keep her thoughts at bay for a while. By the time they were done for the day and had trudged up to the higher ground with the other helpers, she was nearly dead on her feet but so silent and grave that those that didn't know her were already wondering if she was as unfeeling as she seemed.

Wheeler brought their makeshift dinners over to where she'd sat by the fire, sitting close and when they'd eaten, placed a comforting arm around her. "You want me to put your tent up for you Babe?"

There was a teasing note to his voice and she knew it was because it was one of the few things she struggled with even when she wasn't about to fall asleep. She wasn't in the mood for banter however and it made her more direct than usual, "Can I not just share with you?"

"Yeah, of course." He looked surprised but clearly meant it when he added, "I'd prefer it for sure."

She gave him a tired smile, "Spasiba, then you had better do it now or you will have to carry me to bed too."

He chuckled and kissed her forehead, "I will if you need me to Babe."

When he'd gone, Gi moved closer and said in a hushed voice, "So things went well then?"

Linka shook her head, "Mischka is making the biggest mistake of his life and I can do nothing about it."

Her friend bit her lip, "I'm sorry to hear that, but I actually meant you and Wheeler."

"Oh." Linka's expression thawed a little and her cheeks gained a faint blush, "Da, that is going fine, no thanks to Mischka and that…" she pressed her lips together and sighed, "I am a bit pre-occupied at the moment."

"I can tell." Gi agreed sympathetically. "Is there anything I can do to help"?

Linka smiled and shook her head, "Thank you for offering but there is nothing anyone can do. I will feel better after a few hours in my Yankee's arms."

Gi's eyes widened, "Did you mean to say that out loud?"

Laughing now, Linka said, "Da, you wanted to know how things were between us?" Gi nodded, an amused expression creeping over her face. "It is difficult to describe, he is definitely better at it than I am."

"'It' being…"

Linka rolled her eyes, "Being in a relationship. He always seems to know when there is something bothering me and I am so comfortable with him it does not always occur to me that he might sometimes need me to tell him how I am feeling. When everything is going smoothly it is perfect but we have hurt each other a lot over the years and whenever we hit the slightest bump he worries that I am going to turn my back on him."

"You might just have to live with that for a while," Gi said honestly, "But um, other than that you're happy?"

Linka yawned. "Da, what do you want me to say?"

Gi shrugged, "I don't know, something more than 'comfortable'."

"I meant that in a good way," Linka chuckled, "How about, every time he touches me I want to purr like a kitten? When he kisses me my insides turn to molten lava and when I wake in his arms I want to stay there forever."

"Better." Gi grinned, "Definitely better."

They both dissolved into giggles, which is how Wheeler found them. Gi didn't miss the way he looked at Linka, like his world just fell into place, and it made her a little bit envious.

"Tent's up," The American knelt beside his girlfriend and leant over her, resting his hands on either side of her hips, "Do you want me to carry you?"

She raised her lips to his briefly and when they parted Gi realised that she had exactly the same look in her eyes. "Nyet, I can make it. Pull me up?"

He did and they wished the others good night as they made their way hand in hand, to their sleeping bags.

* * *

Linka sighed and stretched under the restoring influence of a warm shower. She was very pleased to be home again, though she'd been equally glad not to return immediately since it had prevented any more conversations between Wheeler and herself regarding her family.

It wasn't that she didn't value his support but she'd needed that time to come to terms with what happened and he saw through her too quickly, compelling her to be open when she would rather hide her feelings away. At the same time, spending the last five days working at his side before falling asleep in his arms and sharing a few tired kisses at the start or end of each day, had made her feel closer to him than any amount of dates ever could.

Finally feeling human again, the wind planeteer changed into a clean uniform and headed to the kitchen correctly assuming she would find her boyfriend there. Wheeler, his hair still wet from his own shower, was making a sandwich of epic proportions and she smiled at the familiar sight, but when he turned around he looked unusually serious. "Is something wrong Jason?"

"I don't know. Kwame collected our mail…" He indicated the table and a stack of letters that had been left there. The top one had been sent from Russia.

Linka frowned and picked it up, "I do not recognise the writing, and it is not from my home town."

Wheeler brightened up, "Oh, I guess it helps if you can read Russian. The others went down to the beach but I thought I'd get something to eat first, want a sandwich?"

"Nyet, spasiba," she was eyeing the snack he'd prepared for himself as she spoke and he didn't miss the implication.

"Are you dissing my lunch?" he teased.

Linka beamed at him and sat at the table, beginning to open her letter, "I would not dream of it… is there any orange squash left?"

He shook his head in amusement, "I just put a new carton in the refrigerator, it won't be cold yet, give it a couple of minutes." He brought his plate over to the table and sat next to her. "Who is your letter from?"

She sat staring at it without answering, her expression somewhere between surprise and concern.

"Babe?" the gentle brush of his fingers as he cupped her cheek made her start, but she smiled enquiringly prompting him to ask again, "Who's it from?"

"Susichka, er she is an old friend…"

"The one you told me about? The one that Slutlana chased away?" Linka nodded, laughing as she was caught by surprise by the nickname, "That's a bit of a coincidence isn't it?"

Sobering at once she held up the note, intending to read from it, "Apparently not; 'I am not sure if contacting you is the best thing to do, but I heard that your brother is engaged to someone whom I know it to be impossible for him to have become involved with, and yet I do believe it. There are things I need to tell you…' here are instructions for contacting her and then 'However you feel about me, for Mischa's sake, please come. Susi."

Wheeler rested a gentle hand on her arm as she lowered the paper to her lap, "When do we leave?"

"You will come with me then?" she asked hopefully.

"Well duh!" he rolled his eyes.

Linka leant forward to kiss his lips, "I did not want to take you for granted, you have been through one ordeal with my family already and you have been working hard ever since, your deserve your rest… but I want you with me very much so, we will go in a few days if that is ok?"

Knowing that she had no idea how good it made him feel to hear her admit to wanting him with her, he shook his head, "Anything could happen in a few days, we'll go tomorrow."

"…Are you sure?" She was trying not to sound too eager but the possibilities were already nagging at her.

"I'm sure." He pulled her up and over into his lap, wrapping his arms comfortably about her. "I want to know what's really going on too. I'd do anything for you, you know that, but I care about your family as well, they deserve better."

"They have better." The lovely Russian told him pointedly, kissing him again.

Pleased Wheeler still joked, "I don't think your brother would find me an adequate substitute."

She laughed, "He will when he stops thinking with his…" he silenced her with his lips and kept her there until the orange juice was just the right temperature.

* * *

Wheeler had wanted to join the others on the beach and though she'd gone for a little while, Linka had slipped quietly away when he'd decided to go wind surfing. The Russian had always been very independent and was feeling the need for some time alone, choosing to curl up with a book in the common room.

A few hours later Gi had stuck her head through the window, "Want a drink or anything?"

Linka didn't look up from her novel, "Da, spasiba."

When the Water Planeteer returned, this time entering the room to set down a glass before sitting down with her own, Linka correctly interpreted the signs of an imminent girly chat and forced herself to stop reading.

"Everything ok?" Gi began.

"Da. Thank you for the drink." Linka picked it up and took a sip.

The Asian tasted her own and said, "I pointed out to Wheeler that you'd come back up here alone but he seemed convinced you were fine, I just wanted to be sure."

Linka smiled. She guessed that Gi, as happy for them as she was, was having a hard time accepting the fact that she might confide in the Fire Planeteer now instead of her best friend. "I am fine Gi, honestly, but thank you for checking on me."

"Well if you're sure you'd rather be here reading than having fun with your friends, I should take the rest of the drinks down to the beach." She stood.

"Da… oh but I do have a favour to ask, if you do not mind," Trying not to worry at her bottom lip she said, "I know it is something of a cheek but would you and the boys mind if Wheeler and I had the common room to ourselves for the evening? We have not had much time alone since we have been together and we will be gone for the next couple of days… trying to sort out my family problems again."

Gi smiled, "And you want to show him that you want to spend time with him? It's fine Linka, I'm sure the others won't mind either. I was just going to put some pizzas on, do you want to cook something special?"

"Not this time, pizza is fine, I want it to be relaxed." Linka gave her a glowing look, "Call me when you start dinner anyway and I will help."

* * *

"Linka?" Wheeler asked, turning as his girlfriend entered the common room carrying a large pizza, "What's going on? Gi insisted I come in here and I'm starving."

She put her burden down on the coffee table which had already been cleared except for two glasses and a pitcher of fizzy lemonade, "I thought we could eat in here tonight, there will be more pizza later and we can put a film on?"

The scene beginning to sink in to his hunger crazed brain, Wheeler grinned, "Just us?"

She nodded and he walked over to pull her against him for a kiss, "So what'll we watch?"

"I thought an action movie while we eat and maybe a romantic comedy afterwards? Nothing too mushy." She held a couple of video cases up.

"Something to cuddle up to?" he approved, realising that she'd picked things she thought he'd enjoy rather than just assuming he'd watch whatever she wanted, which would also have been the truth.

Pleased, Linka told him to go ahead and start on dinner while she sorted out the film and then returned to sit on the floor beside him, following his lead by taking a slice of pizza with her fingers.

Wheeler gave her an amused look, she normally used a knife and fork and sat at the table for everything so this had obviously been planned for his benefit. As the opening credits began he said, "So, this is our third date huh?"

The Russian stiffened slightly, "I suppose so."

"What did I say?" he asked, confused.

"I understand the significance of the third date in your culture, I just was not expecting you to bring it up like that." She poured a glass of lemonade and didn't meet his eyes.

"You might understand but I'm sure I don't." he shrugged.

Linka's cheeks turned red, and she paused the video. "In your television shows they always say that the third date is when… that it is expected that… that the relationship should progress. Physically."

The lightbulb finally went on and Wheeler snorted in amusement, "You actually thought I'd try that on with you?"

She finally looked at him then, her eyes wary, "What does that mean?"

"It means it's just a line… so yeah maybe that's how it works some places with some people, but it's not like it's an American rule. I would never try to push you into anything that way anyway, I thought you knew me better than that."

She nodded, "I do… I was not suggesting that you would make it a… what was the term you used? Deal-breaker?"

"Yeah… but I wasn't even thinking of that, I was just counting. Like, we've made it to date three and we're doing ok, sort of thing." He shrugged.

Linka laughed, "Da we are… mostly. Actually we are probably lucky that we have not had more misunderstandings yet."

Wheeler rolled his eyes, "We have, seven years of them!"

"Good point." She put the film on again smiling into her slice of pizza as his hand found hers and wove their fingers together.

They both got into the film very quickly, sharing their thoughts on it and laughing over the near misses and subtle humour. When it finished they fetched some more drinks and some popcorn and put the second film on, moving to the sofa with Linka leaning back against Wheeler's chest, his arms wound around her while he held their snack for both of them.

After a particularly deep belly laugh from the Fire Planeteer, Linka looked up at him, her eyes brimming with amusement, "You see we do have tastes in common, you just do not like to admit that you are a softy at heart."

"Only where you're concerned," He put the popcorn down on the table and encouraged her to turn towards him, "But yeah, and not just this, I've enjoyed everything we've done together. I'm feeling a lot better about our differences now than I was at first."

"Me too." The film was already forgotten in the warmth of each other's eyes.

Their gentle exploration didn't go any farther than it had previously, but then it didn't occur to either of them to take it there. It was just about being together and they were getting very good at that. At last however they admitted that they needed to get some sleep if they were going to make the trip the next day, and after tidying up they said a lingering goodnight and headed for their cabins.

It was about an hour later that Wheeler, annoyed with himself for not being able to sleep, headed for the kitchen in search of a distraction. He found it in the form of his girlfriend, looking lost and alone on one of the chairs.

"Yankee! You cannot possibly be hungry." She said in surprise.

"I'm not, I came for some water," He crossed to her chair and knelt beside her, "What's wrong?"

"I could not sleep," She shrugged.

He rubbed her arms, slightly chilled in the night air, "Are you worrying about tomorrow?"

Linka smiled and stroked his hair from his face as she often did now, "Nyet Jason, I just missed my big Yankee hot water bottle. Is it not ridiculous? I have spent all my life sleeping alone and a few nights with you has spoilt me."

"You knew where I was, you could have just come in?" he suggested.

"It is different here… perhaps it should not be but it is. I was arguing with myself."

He sighed, "I couldn't sleep either, we parted on good terms but it still felt like it does when we argue. Every time I started to fall asleep I'd reach for you and this pit opened in my stomach like something terrible had happened."

She nodded in agreement.

"Would it really be so terrible for us to share here?" he asked tentatively, "I promise not to try anything."

"It is not that," she assured him quickly, "I trust you completely. Perhaps I am just reading too much into it…"

He rose, lifting Linka into his arms and took her place in her chair, seating her in his lap, "Such as?"

The lovely Russian rested her head on his shoulder and sighed in contentment, "Is it not a commitment? Sharing a bed when we are away is just sharing, it is temporary. Here it has to mean something or it will never mean anything."

"You definitely think about these things more than I do." He kissed her cheek, "I guess it does mean something though, it means we're ready to start sharing our lives instead of just spending some time together."

"Is it not too soon?" she asked warily, "I mean, I am fine with that but I could not make the decision for both of us and that is what I would have been doing if I had just gone to your room."

Wheeler suspected that she might have thought it was offering more than someone to cuddle while they slept too, but he chose not to call her on it. "I'm in this for the long hall Babe. I might be worried about things going wrong and I'm not in any rush, but I don't have any doubts about wanting it to go the distance."

Linka sighed happily, "Will you carry me?"

He laughed and stood, cradling her in his arms, "My place or yours?"

They went to the Wind Planeteer's cabin and fell straight to sleep.

* * *

To be continued…


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Linka had checked that their absence and the use of the eco-copter was ok with Gaia the day before so when she woke Wheeler early the following morning they were able to head out as soon as they were ready, albeit with the Fire Planeteer in a semi-comatose state.

The only place to land seemed to be at the edge of a narrow forest that almost completely surrounded the town. Fortunately the wood was light and airy and Linka enjoyed pointing out the various species of bird they encountered on the way through. Wheeler had managed to sleep on the way in so he was happy to listen as well.

"Are you sure we're on the right side of town?" The American asked as they emerged into a somewhat dilapidated street.

"Da." Linka pursed her lips, "I do not know why they would let it get like this."

Wheeler nodded and re-adjusted his back pack to the other shoulder so that he could lay a protective arm around her waist. "Like the football ground."

She looked up at him in confusion and he realised that with everything that had happened he'd forgotten to mention it, and began to explain while they looked for the hotel Susichka had suggested.

"That is just wrong!" Linka complained, beginning to list all the ways in which they could address it.

"You're preaching to the choir, Babe." he interrupted.

Linka frowned up at him, "Did you explain this to Mischka?"

"Nope. I was still trying to impress him at that point." he shrugged, "Guess I was wasting my time."

"Nyet, he approved of you and when he sees Svetlana as she really is he will be glad you stuck by us." She told him positively.

Wheeler hugged her a little closer, "Don't get your hopes up too high Babe. We'll probably find out some bad stuff about her but that doesn't mean he'll believe it, or that it will make a difference if he does."

She stopped in front of a shabby looking building whose sign proclaimed it was a hotel, "We are here."

"Classy." Wheeler snorted, "Let's hope the price is as cheap as _it_ looks."

"Da," She paused, stopping him from entering, "I do know that this is not necessarily the answer to the 'Slutlana Problem' but Mischka is not stupid, he _will_ figure it out eventually, the question is whether it will be too late."

Pulling her fully into his arms, the American gave her a loving kiss, lingering but not deepening it. "It's never too late when you have people who care about you."

She leant into him, and made him laugh by saying, "See I knew you were a softy."

"Come on." He released her to take her hand and led her into the hotel but when he spoke to the receptionist she looked at him blankly and then crossed her arms.

Guessing the problem and feeling a little embarrassed, Linka spoke to the woman in Russian and she immediately thawed a little… but only a little. The middle aged and somewhat frumpy lady kept throwing darkling glances at the two of them, mostly at Wheeler, but she went through the motions of signing them in and explaining that she had someone come in to cook breakfast but that they'd have to go somewhere else for dinner.

When they finally made it to their room, up three flights of stairs and along a creaking corridor, they were actually pleasantly surprised. It was light, and though the furniture was showing signs of wear it was all clean and well maintained.

"It's actually nicer than our apartment building back home." Wheeler commented. "We should run away to cheap motels more often."

"Do not… you know why she thought we were here, da?" she blushed.

He laughed, "Yep her face definitely broke the language barrier. Do you mind very badly?"

"It is not as if we are having an affair, we are a couple, what we do is our business." Linka shook her head, and began pulling the covers back off the double bed, "I am sorry, I am going to have to check the sheets. I know I am being fussy and you probably think it is paranoia or OCD…"

"Nope, actually I was thinking you probably shouldn't look too closely if it's our only option." He pulled a face and checked out the room's second door, "It has a bathroom… well a toilet and shower but I was expecting a walk down the drafty hall."

"And we are good here, I am impressed." She re-made the bed and then sat on it, "It seems quite comfortable too."

"Oh yeah?" Wheeler grinned making her laugh, "You know, maybe you'd better make that call before we forget why we came here."

Linka's eyes gleamed with mischief and her lips pursed into a saucy smile but she picked up the phone receiver anyway and retrieving her letter, dialled the number Susi had sent her. After a couple of minutes she put it down again. "No answer."

Wheeler had flopped into a chair by the window, looking out at the street below while he waited, but now he turned back towards her. "Maybe we should just go to her house?"

She shook her head, "There is no address on the letter."

The Fire Planeteer shrugged, "So what do you want to do?"

"Look for somewhere to have dinner?" The Russian suggested, "I will try her again when we get back."

* * *

The receptionist directed them to a small family run restaurant a few streets away from the hotel. It was still day light however and really too early for dinner, so they took their time, looking in shop windows, not that there was much to be seen. Several businesses had been boarded up and there were, as Wheeler put it, 'shady characters lurking in the shadows'.

"There are nicer areas here… I am worried for Susichka that she asked us to meet her in this part of town." Linka fretted.

"Do you think it's a set up?" Wheeler asked, knowing she wouldn't like the suggestion but needing her to confront the possibility.

She shook her head, "I do not think so… I cannot think why it would be."

He hugged her closer, "Ok."

Linka smiled up at him, grateful for his support. They turned a corner and she halted outside a dingy looking building with tables inside. "This is it." She said the name of the restaurant in her native language and then translated it as 'Home Cooking'."

Reading the menu that was posted outside she frowned, knowing that whilst Wheeler loved his food, he wasn't overly fond of experimenting, "As I suspected, it is not a place for tourists... do you trust me?"

"I don't have much choice do I?" he laughed and then wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing her neck and making her shiver as his cold nose tickled her skin. "Of course I trust you."

She chuckled in response and took his hand, leading him inside. The early hour meant that they practically had the place to themselves but they chose a quiet corner anyway and ordered some soft drinks while Linka read the menu more carefully.

There was a wooden barrier behind Linka, which actually marked the way to the cloakroom where they'd left their heavy winter coats, and the toilets, but it gave them a certain amount of privacy, although Wheeler could still see the bar and the main entrance.

Their waitress was taking a lot of notice of Wheeler as she waited for their drinks at the bar but for once he had no interest in flirting with anyone but Linka and he hoped it wouldn't lead to an argument. He was still unconsciously watching her however and so when she suddenly looked at the door in alarm and disappeared into the backroom, forgetting their drinks, he turned curious eyes that way.

Two men entered, they were tall and heavyset and their clothes spoke of a kind of rough prosperity. Wheeler leant back out of their line of vision and said in a low voice to his girlfriend, "Don't look round, but we might have trouble."

"Oh?" she raised her eyes to his but before she could say any more an older gentlemen bustled out of the back carrying an envelope and offered it to one of the men with a few quiet words.

They nodded and left.

"Protection racket." Wheeler commented in disgust.

"Well then I am glad that he paid, at least for tonight." She coloured a little at her companion's evident surprise, "I like being a Planeteer Jason, but we cannot solve every problem, and I always feel like we have to try."

He took her hand, "I know what you mean. That's not what we're here for and I have no problems staying out of it."

She smiled, "I wish we were just here for dinner though… that it was just about us."

"Right now it is." He leant over the table and kissed her lips, pleased when she kissed him back. Sitting back in his seat but retaining her hand he said, "And it's not like we're here on Planeteer business, it's about family, which is still 'us'."

Linka nodded, "You are being very understanding."

"I'm not being anything except your boyfriend," he told her, "but in case you hadn't figured it out, I like being that."

The waitress finally returned carrying their drinks but this time it was Linka who noticed her attempts to catch the American's eye. She said something in Russian and the girl blushed and fumbled with her notepad, ready to take their order.

"What did you say to her?" Wheeler asked when she'd gone, amused by the exchange.

"I told her what we wanted for dinner." Linka replied, sipping her drink while her eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Uh huh." He grinned at her and reclaimed her hand.

Linka shrugged, "I like being your girlfriend too, even if it means having to see off the competition now and then."

He laughed but said, "There is no competition Babe, you do know that right?"

"Da." She smiled, "And I hope you know that too, no more getting jealous."

"I'll do my best." He grinned, "But you might have to remind me. Tell you what, next time a guy can't take his eyes off you, come over and give me a cuddle or something… or course that does mean you'll never be able to let go, but I'm good with that."

"Durak," She giggled, but decided she'd do exactly what he asked if she actually noticed another guy's interest, though normally it was Wheeler's reaction that brought it to her attention.

Their conversation turned to food when their first course was brought out, although Linka insisted Wheeler try it before she told him what it was and they spent a couple of happy hours not thinking about anything but each other.

The shadows were lengthening outside when the Planeteers were brought their desserts but neither noticed. Linka thanked their waitress for the mixed selection of delicacies including squares of Ptichye Moloko cake and Pastila but continued her story without trying any.

"Susichka insisted that she was not afraid of the haunted castle ride but I was always more timid and could not bring myself to go in," she told her companion.

Wheeler chuckled around the cake he was eating and swallowed so he could ask, "How old were you?"

"Eleven, we had not long started senior school. Anyway, Mischka is just like me but he was a teenage boy and not going to admit it so finally he agreed to go in with her and when they came out they were both shaking and clinging to each other's hand." She laughed at the memory, "The fair returned a couple of years ago while I was home visiting and I went by myself, I have no idea what scared them, the tunnel of love ride _we_ took was far more frightening."

"Things look different when you're a kid." He laughed along with her, "I'd never have let Mischka forget it if I'd been there though."

Linka chuckled, "I did not and neither did Papa, at least until… that was the last birthday I got to spend with him."

The Fire Planeteer reached out and took her hand, "He'd be proud of you Babe."

She nodded, "He would have approved of you, you know, and he would have done something about Svetlana by now."

Pleased by her assertion he nonetheless tried to change the topic before it became too sad, "So you and Susi went back a few years huh? I thought when you told me about how she wouldn't keep in touch that maybe you hadn't known her that long."

"We played together before we even started school, I was devastated when she moved away but by then Papa was gone… she would not have come to the fun fair with us that day if it was not for my Papa," she took a sip of her drink before explaining, "She had got a bad report, or grade or something… I do not remember exactly what but I know I came home crying because Susichka had been told that she could not go to the fair and I did not want to go without her. Papa called her parents and explained that it was my birthday and they relented."

"Grounded for one bad grade? That's harsh." Wheeler tried another of the little squares and found it to his liking. "You better try one of these before I finish them."

She laughed and did so, agreeing that they were delicious. "Do you… do you have any good memories from your childhood?"

Linka had said it so tentatively that her boyfriend laughed, "Yeah… course I do, they just don't involve my Dad." He shrugged. "My grandad had this old piano he used to play and when Mom would take me round there he'd try to teach me."

"You play the piano?" Linka asked, surprised, "You have never said!"

He laughed again, "Because I don't, I sucked at it, that's why I took up the guitar. But he taught me to read music and to sing along… and Gram too, she could really sing when she was younger. It was fun, you know?"

Linka nodded and he continued, "Of course we had to hide it from my Dad, some of my earliest memories are of Mom telling me what not to say in front of him. I'm amazed he never got on my case about the guitar, but then I didn't actually play it when he was around and since it was a present from Grandad he didn't dare hock it, he relied on them too much for when things got really tight."

"I am sorry." She squeezed his hand and he returned the pressure.

"Don't be, I didn't tell you to make you feel bad," He shrugged, "It's not the sort of thing I usually talk about at all."

Smiling, the lovely blond snagged the last sweet square away from his reaching fingers and popped it in her mouth, making him laugh at her. "I am glad you can talk to me."

"So am I." he linked both their hands together.

They sat like that for a few moments before finally agreeing it was time to return to the hotel. Wheeler paid while Linka excused herself to visit the facilities and after waiting for him to do the same they pulled on their winter coats and headed back out into the night.

* * *

To be continued…


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Thanks again for the support, here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen**

On their way back to the hotel the two Planeteers walked past a building that had not been open on their way out, and it had a short queue.

"What's that about?" Wheeler asked.

"It is an ice rink," The lovely Russian replied with interest, "It sounds like they play modern music… a bit like a night club I suppose"

"You wanna go in?" he offered and when she hesitated coaxed her a little, "Come on, we can take a few hours for ourselves and it sounds like fun."

They joined the queue and despite her seeming reluctance it was obvious to Wheeler that she was excited. There was a bouncer on the door but it seemed that the queue was more to do with it just having opened for the night than any exclusivity.

Just as they were about to be allowed entry Wheeler saw something out of the corner of his eye that made him turn his head and stare into the darkness of an alleyway across the road. A few seconds later a man emerged and passed under a street light, but he did not, as the American had first thought, have a tail.

"Jason?" Linka paused on the threshold, conscious that they were holding things up, "Is something wrong?"

"Nah, just daydreaming," Wheeler shook it off as the product of his imagination and placed his hand in the small of Linka's back to guide her inside, "Ready?"

They once again shed their coats at the cloakroom and hired pairs of skates. As they got ready Wheeler said, "I'm a bit out of practice so go easy on me ok?"

"When was the last time you tried it?" Linka asked, testing her balance.

"High school. I was in the ice-hockey team." Wheeler stood too and belied his worries by walking with perfect ease out onto the ice.

The rink wasn't very full despite the eagerness of the other customers and the couple were able to make a few circuits without incident. The music changed to one of Linka's favourites and Wheeler laughed when he saw that she was trying not to dance, "Did you figure skate?"

"Da," She nodded happily.

"Go for it." He grinned.

Linka looked around self-consciously and then back at the affection in her companion's face and her confidence blossomed. She broke away into an improvised routine that perfectly matched the music that she knew so well. She kept it fairly basic but was moving at speed and drew a lot of attention, none of which she noticed until the song ended with a round of applause.

Very red, and not from the exertion, the Wind Planeteer made haste to return to her companion who surprised her by lifting her into the air and spinning her around, "You're amazing."

Laughing as she was put back on her feet in the circle of his arms she said, "So are you, we should be on the floor right now."

Wheeler joined her laughter, "We used to lift the cheerleaders for their displays… and to show off."

They continued to move in each other's arms, dancing to the music without really thinking about it.

"And you played basketball, how did you find the time to train?" she asked.

"Well for one thing it kept me out of the house," he told her ruefully, and then confessed, "And I pretty much didn't study anything else, it wasn't like I was going to University or anything. I guess I was lucky Gaia recruited me huh?"

"What do you think you would you have done otherwise?" she asked, curious rather than judgmental.

Wheeler snorted, "I dunno, something practical, I guess… I'm not afraid of hard work, I just couldn't care less about useless facts. I had a Saturday job in the local garage, I'd have done that if they'd've taken me on full time." Something occurred to him and he added, "You don't need to worry, I'll find a way to support us if we ever have to leave the Planeteers…"

Looking up at him with a warm light in her eyes she said, "I was not worried, I know we can work those things out if we are together."

He answered in the only way he could, since speech was beyond him, he lowered his lips to hers and they drifted over the ice in a dream.

* * *

Wheeler let Linka precede him into the hotel room but as soon as he'd shed his outdoor clothes he flopped back onto the bed and kicked his shoes off.

The Russian smiled affectionately at him as she sat in the chair by the desk, lifting the phone receiver to once more dial her friend's number. It rang only twice before it was answered and the voice on the other end made Linka's face light up.

Propping his arms behind his head, Wheeler watched her responses. The conversation was in Russian and briefer than he'd expected and when it was over Linka was frowning slightly. "Something wrong?"

"I do not know." She moved to the bed, pushing off her shoes before climbing up and sitting astride her boyfriend's legs. "She said that she shares a flat and her roommate would not be happy about us descending on them… but I got the impression that it was her that does not want us there."

Wheeler uncurled his arms and rested his hands on her hips, rubbing them supportively, "Well if she lives in this neighbourhood maybe she's ashamed of it, you know?"

"She has no reason to be…"

"Yeah, I know that but she doesn't. Babe you're a Planeteer, you rub shoulders with a superhero."

Confusion crossed Linka's face, "I have never done that…"

He laughed, "It's an expression. I'm just saying that she might feel a bit out of her league and until she gets to know you again, it might be a bit awkward. Or maybe her roommate is just a first class bitch?"

Chuckling, the lovely Russian ran her hands over his chest, tracing his muscles below the fabric. "Not everyone is as lucky as I am, it is true."

Wheeler let his hands trail down her jeans along the tops of her thighs, "Are we meeting her somewhere?"

"Hmm? Oh nyet." She pulled his half tucked in top out of his trousers and encouraged him to remove it, "She said she would come here in the morning."

She had resumed her exploration against his now bare skin so he traced his way back up to tug on her shirt and remove it the way she had his, "No plans for the rest of the night then?"

Linka's eyebrows rose and her mouth curved into the saucy smile he only got to see when there was no one else around, "I would not say that." Then she surprised him by reaching around to undo her bra and dropped it on top of her shirt on the bed beside him.

Pure desire blossomed in Wheeler's eyes and she felt her body respond as he slowly caressed her skin. She leant into his touch, closing her eyes as his thumbs sent little jolts of pleasure through her and so lost in the moment was she, that the sudden substitution of mouth for fingers made her gasp aloud.

Running her hands through his hair, she finally brought his lips up to meet her own, sinking into his embrace. Their tongues flicked against each other playfully, gradually deepening into something more serious and all was silky heat, sweet, tender and very addictive.

Breaking contact to take in a few lungfuls of air, Wheeler wasn't surprised to see his companion's eyes dark and full of passion, what did surprise him was the determined way she pushed him back against the covers and followed him down to trail hot wet kisses along his jaw and neck until she could follow the trails she'd been mapping earlier.

His jeans had already been tight but this side of Linka never failed to push him to the limit of his endurance, and of course he wouldn't have had it any other way, she was breath-taking! Glad that she'd chosen to leave her hair loose, he played with the natural curls as they teased his torso and moaned softly as she spent extra attention wherever she got the most reaction from him, giving as good as she got. "Babe you're driving me crazy."

"Do you not like it?" she teased, tracing the V that sat just above his jeans with her tongue.

"You can't be where you are right now and fail to notice how much I like it!"

The deep throaty chuckle that answered him nearly sent him over the edge but he started up when he felt her fingers begin to work on his belt and caught her hands, "What are you doing? I mean, do you know what you're doing?"

"Not really but I would not hurt you…" She said a little defensively.

He groaned and kissed her, "So not what I meant… set some boundaries Babe."

She shook her head, her cheeks flaming, "No restrictions," and kissed him, once again igniting the flame between them.

Taking the hint, which had in any case decimated his will power, Wheeler rolled her beneath him and lost no time in removing her trousers, leaving her in only a small white covering.

"You too." She complained but he gave her a wicked look and shook his head. She would have complained further but his mouth found her inner thigh and she was given up to a new level of sensation, upped again moments later when his fingers began to rub her through the thin fabric. "Bozhe'moy… Yankee."

He hooked his fingers in the waist band (inappropriately named for something that did not even reach the top of her hips) and slowly drew it down, placing kisses in its wake.

"Do you not want me to touch you?" She gasped, not sure whether to be worried about his out-manoeuvring her.

"God yes! So, so much." He told her, "But I want to do this for you first, I don't want it to be over so fast… that's ok right?"

"Da, I just thought you would…" she broke off into some of the sweetest sounds he'd ever heard but he wasn't even close to being done.

Finally having driven her over the edge he moved up beside her to hold her as she came down. Linka's eyes opened to half-mast and she reached up to stroke his face, smiling, "Jason."

He grinned down at her, "You're gonna be a little sore tomorrow."

"So worth it." Her smile widened and her eyes closed, "Not that I am complaining but do you not need more than this?"

He chuckled, his voice deeper than usual as he brought his mouth back down to hers, his hands beginning to wander again "Just making sure you're ready. Physically."

She hummed softly, apparently acquiescing to his ministrations, and began to play with the hair at the nape of his neck.

When at last he pulled away to rid himself of his own clothing he ended up swearing, and on Linka's asking what was wrong he said apologetically that he didn't have any protection, "I just wasn't expecting to need it here…"

"Does that mean you have some at home?" the Russian asked conversationally, rolling onto her belly, apparently unperturbed by the turn of events.

"Since the day I met you," He shrugged, "Ever the optimist."

He swore again and she laughed. "Try my coat pocket."

Wheeler froze, "Are you serious?"

"Da. I got them in the Ladies at the ice-rink, I hope they are the right ones, I had to guess." She shrugged.

"So you were planning on seducing me tonight?" he asked, already fumbling with her coat in his haste.

Linka nodded, "I had a feeling we would need them, da."

Despite her playfulness she was blushing again and seeing her nervousness, when he remounted the bed beside her, Wheeler gently guided her to sit on top of him. He began to tenderly but purposefully reawaken his girlfriend's desire, distracting her with pleasure until being together was all that mattered.

Neither of them could say how long it lasted, certainly longer than Wheeler had expected, but the sensations were too new to set any records. This time when Linka came apart it robbed her of her senses completely and she wasn't even aware that she'd taken Wheeler with her until she started to return to herself.

Wheeler finally found enough strength in his limbs to rearrange them both, enveloping her in a strong embrace and fervently hoping that she wouldn't have any regrets.

They lay in a comfortable silence for some time, enjoying the luxury of having the other naked in their arms but eventually Wheeler decided he needed to hear her voice, his insecurities catching up with him.

Running a gentle finger along her bare arm he said, "So in Russia, it's the fourth date, huh?"

Linka gurgled with laughter at his teasing, and looked up into his eyes, hers shining with warmth. "Nyet, in Russia it is whenever it feels right."

"It does feel right." He agreed and she nodded. "But then it felt right to me yesterday too."

She knew he was teasing but felt compelled to answer him anyway, "Yesterday I wanted to spend time with you but my mind was stuck on what is happening with my brother, today we are here to do something about my brother's situation and all I can think about is you."

"Good reason," He brought their lips back together and let their passion ignite anew.

* * *

Linka woke at her usual early hour and somewhat unusually burrowed back under the covers. Her companion must have sensed her movement in his sleep because his arms tightened around her too. She sighed happily, her mind returning immediately to their activities the night before, and marvelling at how calm she felt about it all. Her body ached and she found herself wishing that she could soak in a bath or one of the hot springs for an hour or so, but knew she'd have to make do with a shower.

As the light in the room increased the Wind Planeteer finally decided she could no longer ignore the day, besides it was at the back of her mind that her friend was coming to see them and she wanted to be ready. Carefully disengaging herself from her lightly snoring Yankee, she slipped into the bathroom and the shower.

The first thing Wheeler was aware of when he woke was that Linka was gone. His heart immediately began hammering in his chest and he forced his eyes open, sitting up and trying to take in the situation. The room was light despite the drawn curtains, but as empty as his bed. Fortunately before panic set in he heard the shower running and slumped back against the pillows, letting out the breath he'd been holding.

It was still slightly disturbing that she hadn't woken him and he was tempted to try the bathroom door to see if he could join her, but she'd seemed alright the night before and she'd had plenty of time to think about what they were doing. Then too, Linka had always liked her privacy and walking in on her in the shower might not be something she considered acceptable.

He gave a frustrated sigh, no matter how well he knew her there always seemed to be something he was unsure of and he hated second guessing himself.

The water shut off a few moments later and Linka emerged wearing one of the hotel's not so generous towels.

"Nice," he commented appreciatively, distracted from his worrying and gazing at her as if he was trying to memorise the image.

"Down boy," she teased back, going to her back pack and sorting out her clothes on the end of the bed. "Between the ice skating and… other things, I can barely move this morning."

He sat up and stretched, drawing her eyes with the movement of his muscles and the way the covers pooled in his lap, "Poor Babe, guess it'll be a few days before you want to try that again, huh?"

She blew him a kiss, "I _want_ to now, but it will be a few days before I _can_."

Wheeler chuckled. Never great at getting up in the morning, he was still coming to and absent-mindedly watching her organise her things without taking in what she was doing.

"Are you going to get washed?" The Russian prompted.

"Yeah in a minute." He yawned. "Did Susichka say what time she's planning on coming over?"

Linka shook her head, "As we are here for her I did not think it mattered, but breakfast is in half an hour and I cannot see them being very accommodating if we are late."

He nodded and rubbed his face and head, still not moving.

"If you are not planning to get up yet, will you close your eyes while I get dressed?" she asked at last.

Wheeler blinked at her, "Uh sure… If you want me to."

Sensing the return of his unease she asked, "What?"

He shrugged, "I just thought you were ok with last night and everything…"

Linka stared at him uncomprehendingly, "I am…?"

"But you're not ok with me watching you dress… not that I was going to watch exactly, and I won't, I'm going in the bathroom. It's just that it seems… odd. To me. And I probably shouldn't have mentioned it, I'll go get my shower." He made to get out of the bed and she squeaked and closed her eyes making him exclaim with some impatience, "Seriously?!"

"Sorry." Her eyes remained firmly closed even though he was still covered.

"Don't be." He got out of bed and moved to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders to let her know he was there, "I don't want to make you uncomfortable, especially now."

Linka took his hands in hers and pulled them around her then turned her head to kiss him, "I am sorry Yankee, I know it is silly, it just seems to me that there is a difference between… making love, and casual nudity."

He laughed and then quickly tried to smother it, "Sorry."

"You are not mad at me?" she asked.

"Nooo, Babe I know things have been moving kinda fast since we got together, and it… well it feels pretty perfect actually. I'm not going to get annoyed about stuff like that, and I'll respect any boundaries you want, just remember to point them out 'cos I am not gonna be able to guess them."

Chuckling, she nodded in agreement and then closed her eyes again, "Go get washed."

* * *

The receptionist gave them an even more disapproving look than she had the day before and directed them to the breakfast parlour with a flick of her wrist in the general direction.

"Jeez, were we louder last night than I remember, or something?" Wheeler asked in a low tone as they walked away, earning himself an elbow in the ribs.

A few of the other guests were already gathered in the small, neatly decorated room, spread out over various tables but they were lucky enough to find one to themselves. There didn't seem to be anyone to take an order, nor were there any menus causing Wheeler to ask his girlfriend whether they were supposed to have pre-ordered. She shook her head.

A moment later a door opened on the other side of the room and a young woman came out rolling a trolley stacked with covered plates with large jugs on the shelf beneath.

"I think it is a case of 'get what you are given'," Linka commented wryly, noting the displeasure on his face. "Do not look so worried, we pride ourselves on our cooking, whatever it is it will be good. You liked the restaurant last night, da?"

He grudgingly agreed but still greeted their waitress with some trepidation. Several dishes were put down on the table with small jars of sour cream and jam, and then they were offered a choice of coffee or tea before she departed again.

Linka began removing the covers, explaining each offering, which they were obviously expected to share. "Porridge, Syrniki… um cottage cheese dumplings, fried eggs with Kobasa sausage… you will be happy with that da?" she grinned and continued, uncovering some slices of buttered bread with different toppings. "Sandwiches, with cheese, ham or sausage."

"Bit of a mix, and what's the cream and jelly for?" he still looked dubious.

"The porridge, although sour cream goes with anything." She asserted.

Wheeler steered clear of the porridge and dumplings but tucked into the rest, although he still commented that the toast, cereal and pancakes he'd had at her grandmother's house were more to his liking.

Knowing that Susichka could be arriving at any time they kept their meal short and were soon heading back up to their room past the fiery glare of the receptionist.

* * *

To be continued…


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Thanks for all the quick responses, I'm really glad you're all enjoying it.

* * *

 **Chapter** **Fourteen**

"I think that is her!" Linka exclaimed excitedly as she looked out of the hotel room window, "If so she must be doing very well for herself, she is dressed fashionably."

Wheeler came to join her to see but immediately swore and pulled her away, letting the net curtain fall back into place.

"Jason?"

"We're being watched," he nodded towards a gap between two buildings on the opposite side of the road, not quite big enough to be called an alleyway and probably just leading to a back garden. "I thought I saw one last night, I should have gone to check, he must have followed us back here."

"Who?" she peered closer, trying to see without being seen, "Chort voz mi, he is one of Skumm's henchman!"

Wheeler nodded, "I thought I'd imagined it last night… but look, they can't have anything to do with us. They're probably running that protection number, we'll call the cops before we leave and give them a heads up."

"But they followed us, if they see Susichka…"

"They don't know she's here to see us," He reassured her, "They see Planeteers, they get edgy. Once we leave they'll figure we didn't notice them."

Still sounding worried she said, "I hope you are right Yankee."

A knock sounded at their door and she would have gone to answer it but Wheeler stopped, her, "I'll go, just to be on the safe side."

Linka shrugged, figuring his protectiveness was unnecessary because she was as able to handle herself as he was, but allowing him to look after her anyway.

The pretty young woman on the other side of the door looked surprised and said something he couldn't understand.

"It is ok Yankee, that is Susichka." Linka confirmed and the woman's face lit up.

"Linka?"

Wheeler stepped back and allowed her to enter, not explaining why he checked the corridor when she did, but then she didn't notice because she was too busy hugging her long lost friend.

The two woman seated themselves side by side on the edge of the bed and began to gabble in Russian while Wheeler retired to the chair by the window to keep an eye on their hairy spy.

"It has been so long but I would still have recognised you," Susi was saying, "And he is your boyfriend? He is hot, I am impressed!"

Linka laughed, "You look wonderful, you must be doing very well."

Her friend's expression became somewhat fixed, "You shouldn't judge by appearances Linka, I… it is part of what I have to tell you."

The Planeteer nodded though it was obvious that she was disturbed by what she might be about to learn, "Wheeler does not speak Russian, can you tell us in English?"

The American looked around when he heard his name and their new friend smiled at him and switched to heavily accented English, "I am pleased to meet you Wheeler, please call me Susi… that is what I go by now."

"Good to meet you too, Linka's been telling me all about you." He grinned and she laughed a natural laugh, making herself even prettier.

"I was a different person then, but I am glad you have heard about the good times before…" she shook her head, "Let me tell you, I will answer any questions after but let me say it before I lose my nerve?"

They nodded silently and she began, looking down at her hands. "It started when we were at senior school, I wanted to be popular… it never seemed to bother you but my parents had such high expectations of me… I am afraid I let them down badly." She swallowed, "One of Svetlana's friends invited me to go shopping with her, you were busy that day, and it was before some of the really bad rumours about them started. They were the people to be seen with so I went, and it seemed like fun so when she asked me to meet her again, I did. I did not know that she was stealing things, but then she told me, how easy it was and how she knew where to get money for those things… expensive trinkets."

"I was so stupid Linka, it was daring and fun and then one day someone saw us and she intimidated them and it all sort of went to my head… I joined them." Linka gasped. "I hid it from you of course, somehow I still knew that it was wrong but… I was caught up in it. It started getting out of hand though and I told them I was out, that is why they were giving me a hard time, I am sorry I could not tell you but I had to keep you out of it... they wanted me to recruit you but I would not."

The Wind Planeteer blinked back the moisture from her eyes, "I would have helped you."

"There was nothing you could do! When your Papa was alive maybe… but they were dangerous and you were always so timid." She shook her head. "Anyway we moved here and my heart was breaking but I thought at least I could start over… I was wrong. They were here too."

"Who was?" Wheeler asked, his mind already jumping to conclusions.

"They are a crime syndicate. It was only just beginning in our town and it never really took hold back then but here… they had my name and threatened to tell my parents everything if I did not do as they said." Susi shook her head, "It is not just stealing here, they sell weapons and drugs… and themselves. I was lucky I am a good thief, I was able to stay on the cleaner side of things."

Linka looked disgusted, "Did Svetlana?"

Susi paused, "Sell herself for money? Not directly, I do not think so… she had power, one of the leaders. She still does, although like the people here she answers to someone I have never seen and never want to meet. I am fairly sure that Svetlana used her body to get that power though."

Wheeler snorted, "So am I. Do you know who the big boss is? What do you call him?"

She shook her head, "I do not know any names, they are well organised, I have always assumed that it was a team, a syndicate. Why do you think there is a leader?"

"Because I've seen it before, in my home town," he replied with some malice, "and we've just seen someone connected to the same dirty rat."

Susi shrugged, "You might be correct, I do not know."

Linka was still focused on her friend, "You are still working for them, even now?"

The other girl swallowed and stuck out her chin in defiance, "Da. Do not judge me too harshly Linka, I have no choice.

"There is always a choice, your parents…"

"Disowned me." She interrupted but then looked away again, avoiding their eyes. "I got caught. When you joined the Planeteers and wrote to me I was in prison. My father brought me the letter and that is when he told me that they were moving again, he did not say where only that I should not try to contact them. I was only in there for a few months and because of my associations I had a relatively easy time…" she looked pleadingly at Linka, her eyes filling with tears " _They are all I have now, they take care of me, what was going to do but go back to them?_ "

Linka too was crying and she moved to hold her friend, "I am sorry, I have no right to judge you."

"You do." Susi brushed her tears away, "You would never have been so stupid as to get involved with them in the first place."

"Nyet, but I was stupid enough to trust a drug addict and get tricked into getting hooked." She said with a certain amount of self-loathing.

"That wasn't your fault!" Wheeler said quickly.

"Nyet, and this is not Susichka's," she stated firmly.

"I never said it was, I saw what he did to Trish as well, remember?" he replied grimly.

Linka nodded.

"Who? Who do you think is behind this?" Susi looked from one to the other until Wheeler finally bit out a response.

"Verminous Skumm. He's a mutant who gives rats a bad name."

The young woman's eyes opened wide and she didn't look as if she knew whether to believe him or not.

"We cannot leave Susichka here." Linka stated, getting back to the point.

"It is Susi, and da, you can." The Russian shook her head, "I liked Mischa, he was always nice to me… I had to warn you about Svetlana but I am not your problem."

Wheeler looked back out of the window, "You are now. One of Skumm's henchman was watching us, if you're a part of the syndicate he might have recognised you."

She looked scared but still stood her ground, "I will take my chances."

"The Planeteers can help Susi," Linka took her hand, "Please trust us, we can stop what is happening here, and back home if you will help us?"

"There is nothing I can do and if you stop it I will end up on the street!" she protested.

The American again stepped in, "We won't let that happen. Linka's right, you need to come back to Hope Island with us so you'll be safe while we come up with a plan." He grinned, "You can have Linka's room."

Linka rolled her eyes, "She can have _your_ room."

He shrugged, "Same difference. Would Svetlana know how to contact the Boss or Bosses?"

"She might." Susi acknowledged, her resistance failing.

* * *

Linka watched out of the hotel window as Wheeler left, hanging back so that their stalker wouldn't see her. "He is following him." She confirmed, "Let us go."

The two girls grabbed the Planeteer's bags and went quickly down the stairs. Linka paid for their room and thanked the receptionist for their stay, noting that she was eyeing Susichka suspiciously, but not bothering to explain her presence there.

They headed for the woods, trying not to move too quickly and draw unwanted attention. It didn't take them long to reach the eco-copter and after storing their luggage, Linka prepped it for the flight.

"Are you sure Wheeler will be ok?" Susi asked reverting to Russian and glancing back the way they'd come.

"Yes." Linka nodded, wishing she felt as confident as she sounded, "He can take care of himself."

The other girl smiled, "He seems nice, I'm glad you found someone like that."

"Me too." Linka looked round at her, "You do not have anyone special in your life?"

Laughing Susi shook her head, "The kinds of guys I associate with aren't the sort you get involved with, not if you're smart."

"You will find someone."

"You always were a romantic, but the most I can hope for is someone to protect me while I do whatever he wants to keep him happy," She shook her head, "I'm not that desperate yet."

Not knowing what to say the Planeteer fell silent leaving it to her friend to restart the conversation, this she did, somewhat hesitantly. "Were you really a drug addict?"

Linka nodded, "Boris got hooked and he slipped some into my food… it was highly addictive and I didn't even realise how far I had sunk until Wheeler pulled me out."

"Your cousin Boris?!" Susi exclaimed in disbelief, and when Linka nodded confirmation, "Little Boris? He's just a boy!"

"He was…" The Wind Planeteer swallowed hard, "He… overdosed. We could not save him."

The reply was so sad that Susi felt tears sting her eyes, surprised that after all she'd seen, such news could still affect her. "Oh… oh Linka I'm so sorry."

Linka gave her a weak smile, "It was not your fault."

Her friend frowned, "Wasn't it? I knew what was going on I…"

Linka placed a hand on her arm to stop her, "Nyet Susi, it happened in America, it might have been Skumm behind both but the two were not connected. You could have done nothing… I was there and I could do nothing."

The grief and frustration in her voice was so plain that her old friend leant over to hug her, "You were just lucky to get out yourself."

Nodding, Linka allowed her comfort for a moment and then pulled away, "Please do not mention it in front of Wheeler, he hates that he could not fix everything."

Susi nodded, "So… how is Mischa? And your Grandmother?"

"They will be fine when we get rid of Svetlana!" Linka said harshly and then shook her head and smiled, telling her friend more about her family in an affectionate way that made her smile too.

A few minutes later they were chuckling over old reminiscences when they were startled by the American's arrival, He considered giving them a lecture about being vigilant but Linka looked so relieved to see him he let it slide, he'd already shaken his tail anyway. "Ready to go ladies?"

They nodded and were soon airborne, and at Wheeler's request, Susichka regaled him with stories of Linka as a child much to his girlfriend's embarrassment.

* * *

They were still laughing when they set down on Hope Island, though by then Linka had retaliated with a few stories of her own. She was grateful to Wheeler for putting her friend at ease and even more grateful that their banter was not creeping into flirting… not that she didn't trust him to be faithful, in fact she did, but it would have made her uncomfortable anyway.

"Are you sure your friends are not going to mind having me here?" The Russian asked suddenly, hesitating about stepping out of the craft.

"Of course not," Linka assured her, "You are going to help us stop a Polluter, they will welcome you."

Wheeler winked at his girlfriend, "Yeah and Gaia is used to us bringing home strays."

The Russian Planeteer rolled her eyes and led the way to the Crystal Chamber where Gaia had already gathered the others.

"Welcome to Hope Island Susichka." The Spirit of the Earth was fortunately in her corporeal state. "I understand the three of you have a lot to tell us?"

Linka nodded, taking the lead without hesitation as she explained what they'd found out, and finally finishing with, "We need to contact the police of both towns without the syndicate knowing about it."

Kwame interrupted thoughtfully, "Or perhaps we need to speak to your brother's fiancée first?"

"Do not call her that!" Linka told him, a little unnecessarily and found herself being pulled against Wheeler's side, the arm about her waist offering comfort even as he told her, "That's what she is Babe, for now at least."

"I know, I am sorry." She leant against him and missed the impressed glances her friends exchanged, but Susi didn't and she understood them to mean that her friend was normally just as stubborn as she had always been about some things.

Wheeler continued, addressing Kwame, "To be honest, I don't think talking to Svetlana is going to get us anywhere. Despite her 'give me a second chance act' she's already made it clear we're not on the same side."

Susi nodded, "Wheeler is correct, you will have to force her to talk."

"That is not the way we do things." Kwame told her, a note of censure in his voice.

"It is the only way she understands." The Russian girl shrugged, "It is your call though. Can I ask a question?" they nodded so she continued, "What are you planning on doing with me when this is all over?"

Gaia stepped in then, "I understand your trepidation Susi, I do not know what we can do for you at the moment but I promise you we will not abandon you. You are welcome here."

Susi thanked her shyly, still looking ill at ease.

Gi came to the rescue, "How about we get you settled in and then we can discuss our plan of action over lunch?"

"She's going to sleep in my room." Wheeler announced, and then laughed at the shocked expressions of his friends, "Geez guys, I'm gonna be in Linka's room ok?"

Linka chuckled, "You had better go and clean up your cabin then Yankee. Susi, you might want to wait on the beach, it will take him a while." She wriggled in his arms as he exacted vengeance but escaped to add, "I will sort out a few clothes for Susi to wear, we did not have time to collect any of her things."

"I will too then," Gi offered.

"You are very kind." The Russian girl blushed, unused to being treated that way without knowing there was an ulterior motive. They wanted her help of course, but they didn't have to be that nice to get it.

Linka returned to her boyfriend's arms to say in a low voice, "If you want to collect what you need from your room I will find a space for it in mine… you can just leave everything on the bed."

He grinned, "Meaning you'd rather put it away for me so I don't mess up your system?"

She blushed, "It is just that I…"

"I'm teasing," He gave her a squeeze, "And pushing my luck, I know this sleeping arrangement isn't permanent, yet. Consider it a dry run."

Linka's blush deepened but she nodded in acceptance, "We will both have a lot to adjust to I think."

"We'll make it work." He told her and again she agreed.

Kwame was watching them with some amusement but finally broke in, "When you two are finished, perhaps we should take Susi on a tour?"

The couple laughed and moved apart, although Wheeler kept his arm around her for a moment, "You guys go ahead, I'm going to make a start on moving." He kissed Linka's head and departed before they found anything else for him to do.

* * *

To be continued…


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Getting to know Susichka again was actually easier with the others there to ask questions and Linka was very grateful for it. They'd been accepting, even when they found out about her lifestyle and in return she'd started to relax around them.

Linka had finally left her down on the beach discussing fashion with Gi, while she went to see what sort of havoc Wheeler had wreaked in her room. As it happened it wasn't that bad, there were clothes on the bed, his guitar against the wardrobe and his laptop beside hers on the desk. For some obscure reason she liked that last and decided to leave it there.

After sorting out some things for her friend, including new underwear and toiletries, she carefully packed up others to make room in her wardrobe and drawers for Wheeler's. It didn't take her long in the end but she was hot and still achy from the previous night's activities and finally gave in to the desire she'd had all day and ran a bath.

She hadn't been soaking long when there was a knock on the door, "Babe, are you going to be long? Susi's in my room now and I need to uh, pee."

"It is not locked, you can come in." She called out, sinking a little to make sure she was covered by the bubbles.

"Oh," He stopped in the doorway and stared, his mind obviously diverted from his immediate concerns.

Linka chuckled, "Are you coming in or not?"

Wheeler hesitated, "I can't if you're staying."

"I thought you just wanted to pee?" she asked, wondering how they would live together if they got stuck at the first obstacle.

"I do… I'm just not used to someone watching."

"Bozhe'moy, I was not planning to watch!" she closed her eyes.

"Better cover your ears too."

She did as she was asked but commented, "At least I am not the only one with odd boundaries."

"It's not odd," He replied but as she didn't say anything more he assumed she couldn't hear and got on with things. After washing his hands he knelt by the bath and leant in to press a tender kiss to her lips. She returned the gesture and let her arms slip back down into the water when her eyes opened. He smiled, "Spasiba."

"You are welcome," she thought about making a comment about men's ability to wait, but thought better of it.

"You need any help washing your back," He teased, obviously not in any rush to leave.

Linka laughed, "Not this time, go and join the others Lyubov." She did however accept a parting kiss.

* * *

Ma-Ti joined with the others in taking helpings of the Chinese take-away Wheeler had fetched from the mainland, speaking as he did so. "Gaia said that the police were already looking into the syndicate operation in that area, it is not limited to the two towns we know about."

"Yes," Kwame continued, "And they were very grateful for the offer of help, so far they have not had any success in penetrating the operation."

Gi offered a warm smile to Susi - who was currently earning Suchi's eternal devotion by feeding him pieces of fruit while he lay snuggly in the crook of her arm – and added, "They've promised you immunity and protection if you'll testify in court."

The Russian nodded, "As long as it is testifying against the Syndicate and not any of the individuals that have helped me… I want to shut down the nastier aspects before we destroy those towns and the people in them but I will not betray my friends, I cannot do that."

Linka was perched on Wheeler's leg due to the lack of chairs around the kitchen table but she now reached out to rest a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, "I am sure that can be done. Something will need to be put in place to help the innocent victims of the crime wave and as far as I am concerned that includes you and your friends."

"You always were a little naïve," Susi said ruefully, "We may not all have had choices but I cannot claim innocence of all crimes either. I know you want to see me as the girl you grew up with but I am not that person anymore."

"I do understand that," Linka told her, "I am sure there are many things I would not like to know about your life but you wanted to help my brother and are willing to stand up for what is right, I am not going to hold it against you that you were forced into a life you did not want because of mistakes made as a child."

Susi's eyes brimmed with tears and she looked away, "Spasiba."

Kwame nodded, "Linka is correct, and I am sure you are not the only one in that position. We need to help those people change their lives into something better not punish them for trying to survive."

"We need to get rid of the bad guys first," Gi said sardonically, but continuing seriously, "If Susi is committed to this then I say we confront Svetlana with her, see if she can deny her involvement when the proof is standing right in front of her."

"It is too dangerous." Linka said at once but was stopped by the girl herself.

"If I spoke to her in front of Mischa, perhaps I could convince him to give her up?"

Tempted, the Wind Planeteer nonetheless shook her head, "It is not worth your safety, perhaps after we have sorted everything out, you could talk to him…"

The American had been eating quietly but now he said, "What if we could let her know about Susi, without actually having them meet… it wouldn't put Susi in danger but it might make Slutlana edgy."

Linka's old friend choked, "What did you call her?"

The blond Planeteer waved her comment away and addressed her boyfriend, "How do we do that?"

"You said you wanted to call Gram later, right?" He shrugged, "I'm sure you can think of a way to drop it in the conversation."

"That might actually work." Gi said, leaning forward with interest, "We need everything to be in place first though, someone needs to be watching her in case she calls anyone to warn them."

Linka nodded enthusiastically, "She will not do that from the house I am sure of it. We should talk it through with the police but I have no doubt that Grandmuska would be only too happy to mention it whenever we want her to."

Wheeler chuckled, "Yeah, anything to get rid of the grand-daughter-in-law from hell! Susi, you ok with this?"

She nodded, "But if you are going, I want to go with you. There is no love lost between me and any of _'Slutlana's'_ cronies."

* * *

"Oh my darling, it is so good to see you!" Grandmuska exclaimed as Linka's image appeared to her through the medium of the Planetvision.

"Is something wrong?" the Wind Planeteer asked, immediately alarmed.

The old woman shook her head, "Nyet, at least nothing new, but after the way you left I was worried about you, both of you. I was not sure if... That is, you defended him but there have been doubts in the past and I would hate to think that that..." She used a word that made her granddaughter colour up but continued without appearing to notice, "has damaged things between the two of you?"

Still recovering from her grandmother's colourful language Linka tried to reassure her, "Oh nyet, we are fine." And because she knew that hadn't sounded very convincing, "We are better than fine. I am not saying that I am beyond jealousy and suspicion but the man Svetlana described just is not my Yankee."

Grandmuska regarded her carefully, "You are sure?"

Link chuckled, "We have not spent a day or a night apart since we left you, I think we are beginning to make the others queasy."

"Good." The old woman sighed in relief, seeing Linka's happiness in her eyes.

"How is Mischka?" Linka asked and wished she hadn't since it dimmed the light in her grandmother's eyes.

Shrugging, Grandmuska said, "He says he is ok but I know better. They argued after you left, I did not want to hear what they said so I went to my room but I do not think he believed her any more than I did, he will still not admit it though."

Linka shook her head sadly, "He really loves her then."

"I think pride has more to do with it than love," Her grandmother replied with a hint of disgust.

"Wheeler said something like that too." Linka nodded.

Her eyes twinkling the older woman said, "Mischka will never admit he made a mistake… it is a family failing."

The Planeteer wrinkled her nose, "I will pretend I did not understand you. Do you think there is no hope of Mischka giving her up? I mean if… if he were to find out some things about her. True things."

"Do you know something?"

Linka nodded, "That is why I am calling, I do not want to hurt him but he needs to know the real Svetlana."

Her grandmother hesitated and then said thoughtfully, "He does not like it but I think he is coming around to the idea that she is not the person he thought he knew at university, he has certainly stopped asking her when they should set the date of their wedding, in fact I believe he avoided the question when she brought it up."

"Oh?" Linka wished she didn't sound quite so eager to hear that her brother's relationship was failing but she couldn't help it.

"They argued over her going out at night too, that time I did hear them and he made her promise to stop."

"Has she?"

Grandmuska shook her head, "She has slipped out at least once. Oh it was all locked up again by morning but I got up in the middle of the night, you know how unhappy my digestive system gets on occasion, and the back door was unlocked. I did consider locking her out but I would not really want anything to happen to her and there seems to be a lot of unsavoury characters around these days."

"Da," Linka agreed with some amusement, "And she is friends with them, in fact if Susi is right she is their leader."

"Susi?"

"Susichka," she beamed for a moment but then her face took on a troubled expression "She contacted us because she was worried about Mischka getting involved with Svetlana… she has had a difficult life and it is mostly due to Svetlana and her friends."

Grandmuska looked horrified but asked for details anyway. At last she said, "The poor girl, I remember how the two of you used to be so carefree when your father was alive, always giggling and plotting mischief."

Linka blinked away tears, "That was a long time ago for both of us, I am not sure we will ever be that close again, though I admit I like having her here."

"She is with you?" Grandmuska looked delighted, "Give her my love and tell her how much I would like to see her again, though I suppose that would not be very wise at the moment."

"We have a plan… if you would consider helping us?"

Linka's grandmother looked younger in that moment than she had seen her for years and it gave the Planeteer hope.

* * *

To be continued…


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Thanks again for the reviews and follows, I hope you will all tell me what you think of this part...

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen**

Linka paced in the tiny area afforded by the Geo-cruiser's main aisle until Susi let out an exasperated sigh, "Chort voz mi Linka, you are setting my nerves on edge, and I am not a naturally tense person!"

It had taken them a couple of days to get everything set up and to work out exactly what to ask Linka's grandmother to reveal to her soon to be granddaughter-in-law. At first the sense of doing something positive had greatly alleviated the Wind Planeteer's worry but after everything had been set in motion all she could do was wait and fret.

Wheeler had sat quietly in the pilot's seat until then, letting Linka deal with her fears in her own way but now he held out a hand to her, "Come here Babe, you need to calm down, we're gonna be here a while."

Letting out a frustrated breath, Linka sat in his lap, burying her face in his shoulder and trusting him to rub away some of the tension in her shoulders.

"Great, now I have to sit here and watch you make out." Susi huffed.

"You're right," Wheeler replied with amusement, "Her pacing _did_ make you pissy, didn't it?"

Both girls laughed, easing their worry by a few degrees and Linka snuggled into him, grateful for his presence.

They were waiting for the police officer assigned to watch Linka's family home to alert them to any activity. Since they were too noticeable in their bright yellow craft they'd had to park at some distance away, and the other Planeteers had done the same in another location.

"You know I always wanted to go on a stake out." The American commented, "But somehow I thought there'd be more coffee and donuts."

"Thank goodness there is not," Susi teased, "Can you imagine Linka on a sugar and caffeine high right now?"

Linka looked up to glare at her friend, "I cannot help it, this is my family. I need to be doing something!"

The other Russian nodded apologetically, "Me too."

[Suspect is on the move.] Their borrowed police radio crackled into life, in English for the benefit of the Planeteers. The seconds that ticked away felt like an eternity before he continued, [She is entering a building… nyet, she is talking to someone in the entrance way. They are getting into a car…]

Rather than follow them in the dark where their headlights must have made pursuit obvious, they'd set up various lookout posts around the town and now began a running commentary on the location and direction of the vehicle.

Linka quickly returned to the co-pilot's seat and Susi strapped herself in behind, while Wheeler began to run through their standard checks in record time in order to get them airborne.

"They are coming his way," Linka reported, more familiar with the streets than her partner.

"I see them." Susi, her face glued to the window, pointed at the dim silhouette of a moving vehicle down below them.

Linka nodded and picked up the radio receiver to continue broadcasting their quarry's movements as it passed out of her home town and onto the unmade roads that divided the surrounding countryside. They followed them to another town several miles away. It was bigger than Linka's home but it was on the list of towns on alert so it wouldn't be long before the local police force mobilised.

"There is another car," Susi commented as they found a place to set down. "A way behind them, but it seemed to be following… it is not using its headlights."

"Probably the cops." Wheeler said with a shrug.

Linka was still listening to the police radio, keeping track of the car until it was reported that they'd apparently reached their destination. "I think I know where they are, we can take the bikes and catch up with the police there."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea Babe," Wheeler said frowning, "We don't want to get in the way, besides they'll need us if they leave again."

"The others are not far from here, they can do that if we are not back in time." She looked him in the eyes, her own determined, "Yankee we need be there, I have to go."

"She is right." Susichka stood next to her, "I will go with her."

Wheeler glared, "Yeah, like I'm letting you two go on your own, have you forgotten that _I'm_ the reckless one here?"

Linka reached up to give him a brief kiss, "Let us go!"

* * *

By the time the Planeteers arrived, the police had already given the order to raid the warehouse Svetlana had entered and there was nothing they could do but keep out of the way. They could see the car they had been tailing parked at the side of the road and the second car just behind it, though they didn't take any particular notice of it, their thoughts solely on what they couldn't see going on behind the imposing walls of the old building.

The Russian Planeteer held tightly to Wheeler's hand, his firm gentle clasp a constant source of strength. She had begun to feel guilty that their time together had so far largely consisted of his comforting her. ' _Nyet,'_ she reminded herself, her face colouring under the cover of darkness, _'even if the last few days were focused on the trouble here, our nights have not been about anything but each other_.'

Fortunately for Linka's state of mind it wasn't long before the prisoners were brought out; they included a few rat-men and an equal number of nasty looking humans, including Svetlana who seemed to be having an argument with one of the other captives.

"No sign of Skumm," Wheeler said, his expression stormy. "But there's no way he's not involved with so many of his Mini-Me's here."

Linka began to agree and then cried out as she realised who it was Svetlana was yelling at, "Mischka!" He must, she guessed, have followed his girlfriend, not knowing that the authorities were also watching her.

She ran over to the couple who were struggling with their guards, not in an attempt to escape but so that they could carry on something that had all the hallmarks of a domestic dispute.

"I trusted you!" Mischka was shouting, though as it was in Russian Susi had to translate for Wheeler while Linka tried to get the policemen to release her brother. "I loved you!"

Svetlana gave a derisive curl of her lip, "Love! You mean lust, you got everything you wanted, be satisfied."

Her fiancé was shaking his head, "You loved me too, before we came back here and you got involved with them again. You were free. I knew you were in trouble, that is why I followed you tonight."

"How stupid are you? I never left them, why would I? They're family, they paid for my education, they gave me a purpose!" she snorted, "You were just another sheep to be herded and manipulated, it'll be a relief to be free of your goody goody attitude tying me down."

"You're just saying that, I don't believe you." He no longer looked sure however but when - after Linka had got one of the higher ranking officers to authorise his release - he walked over to her, his first impulse was to urge her to change, "Come clean, help them put a stop to this, and we can start again."

Svetlana rolled her eyes and her voice took on a tone of loathing, "You really don't get it do you? Skumm _**paid**_ me to get close to you, he wanted to recruit you, though god knows why. You're a nobody, I even had to go elsewhere for pleasure, not that Krupin and Vakhrov minded." She laughed at him and Wheeler had to restrain his girlfriend to prevent her from punching her.

She shook her head mockingly and laughed, "Poor Mischka, even Wheeler was more of a man… did I say I turned him down?"

The Russian man's face had set into a hard expression and he now turned to Wheeler but her words hadn't had quite the effect she was expecting, "Wheeler I owe you an apology. I knew in my heart that she was lying from the first but I could not accept it, I hope you will find it in you to forgive me."

"No sweat," Wheeler shook his head, "It's forgotten."

They shook hands making Svetlana screech at them, which was when Susi stepped forward, "She always was easy, not even her friends respected her… feared her maybe, she had some rather nasty associates after all, and she'd do _**anything**_ for them. But she was never liked and never respected." She looked her straight in the eyes, "You ruined my life, but you know something, you've done far worse to your own. You do not know what a good thing you could have had."

Svetlana took her captors by surprise by suddenly wrenching herself free, yelling something that no one would translate for the American, and hurling herself at the other girl with her nails up-raised like a rat's claws.

Without any conscious thought Mischka pulled Susi out of her path, and as it happened, into the protective safety of his arms, while the police fought to restrain their prisoner once more.

"Susichka?" he blinked down at her as he finally recognised the features of the girl he once knew.

"Hi." She responded shyly, grateful that the gloom covered her blushes.

* * *

Linka meanwhile wasn't paying attention, and had wandered a little way away from the group as her eyes sought out the one criminal she knew had to be there. The police chief had told her that they'd found large stashes of weapons, stolen goods and contraband substances, but there was no sign of Skumm.

Ma-Ti had called to say that he and the others had gone to help with the round-ups in one of the other towns that had been planned to happen before word got out, but she doubted they would find much to do there either as the local law enforcement seemed to have it covered.

A stray cloud passed across the moon and as its light re-emerged the Wind Planeteer happened to catch sight of a familiar silhouette, high up on a metal bridge that led between the warehouse the police had entered and another brick building. _**"Nyet! Wind!"**_

Several heads turned towards her, including Wheeler's but she was already rising into the air, just reaching the near side of the bridge before Skumm. **"You will not escape this time!"**

The rat laughed and raised a gun to point at her heart, rasping, "Are you sure blondie?"

Down below, Wheeler ran for the second building's fire escape, outdistancing the police officers. It was a long way up however and he was terrified that he wouldn't make it in time.

"Give up Verminous, there is no way out of here." Linka ordered, "Shoot me in front of all these witnesses and you will have doomed yourself anyway."

He gave her a look of pure evil, "I own you."

She laughed, "That was never true."

"I know you still crave the Bliss, I can give you what you need." Skumm offered, caring more about drawing her back in than escape.

Linka felt dirty just listening to him and said coldly, "You have nothing I want and you cannot control me anymore."

"Wrong choice," for a heart stopping second she thought he was going to pull the trigger but then he pointed the gun away, down over the side of the bridge… at Mischka.

"Wind!" he staggered back, momentarily caught off guard. "You will not hurt any more of my family!"

He laughed the mad laugh of a true eco-villain, "Who's going to stop me? You 'good guys' are all weak, and I'm going to make sure you suffer for it."

He levelled the gun once more and as his finger started to pull the trigger a sudden gust of wind caught him up, forcing him to fire into the air. It did not stop there however as his whole body rose up, struggling in vain with the air currents and finally screaming as he was dropped over the side of the bridge onto the empty concrete below.

Linka turned away and came face to face with Wheeler.

She couldn't meet his eyes.

* * *

To be continued…


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Thanks again for reading and reviewing, and I want to say a special thank you to Becks here for putting up with a lot of indecision, revisions and random extra bits! And I hope you all like the result... just one more chapter to go after this!

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen**

The police chief shook the Planeteers' hands before they left the police station in the dawn light, having signed their statements that night.

"You ready Beautiful?" Wheeler asked as they walked towards the Geo-cruiser, her brother and friend a little way ahead.

Linka kept her eyes lowered, "I think I will drive back with Mischka, and make sure Gram is ok. You should take Susi straight back to the hotel to meet the others."

He moved closer and spoke quietly, "Babe the police are happy it was self-defence, they're more likely to give you a medal than press charges, stop worrying about it."

"That is not what I am worried about," She said miserably, not bothering to deny that there was something on her mind.

"What then?" When she didn't say anything he stopped her gently and turned her towards him, "Babe? Talk to me."

She shrugged, "I know you saw and heard what happened, you were closer than anyone else. Are you not disgusted with me?"

" _ **Of course not!**_ _"_ He replied with some emphasis.

"You should be!" She told him, no longer able to hold in her feelings. "I should be better than that."

The American took her carefully into his arms, "Hey, I thought we agreed that neither of us is perfect? Linka, seriously, you were defending the people you love… given half a chance I might have done worse."

"I am not sure that it was not revenge, Yankee…" She swallowed, blinking away tears, "I am not sure… I keep telling myself that I had to make an end of it, that he left me no choice, but there could have been another way..."

"I love you."

She looked up at him in surprise, her eyes seeking and finding confirmation in his. Finally she gave him a watery smile. "Then I am very lucky… and, I love you too."

* * *

"Mischka, what happened?" His grandmother asked as he opened the door to their house. It was full daylight and she'd been up for a while, not that she'd had much sleep the night before.

Mischka said nothing, just shook his head and leaving the front door open, headed for his room. He heard her exclaim again as she greeted Wheeler and Linka but right then he was exhausted and just wanted to be alone.

"Gram we have a surprise for you," The American said, noting with some worry how Linka would not meet her grandmother's eyes.

She was being as communicative as her brother, who had insisted on driving himself home despite their offer to take him and then bring him back for his car when he'd had some sleep. About the only concession Mischka had made was to give his sister quick hug by way of apology and perhaps, thanks.

Wheeler indicated the still open doorway and the suddenly shy girl framed within it.

The older woman looked confused for a moment but then remembered what she'd been told, "Susichka?" When the young woman nodded Grandmuska held out her arms and Susi almost fell into them. "It is good to have my other granddaughter home."

"I do not deserve your kindness, you do not know what I have become." Susi tried to pull away but the old woman took and kept a firm clasp on her hand.

"Linka told me," Gram shook her head, "None of that matters, you will always be welcome here."

Through the tears she couldn't hold back, Susi tried to thank her, and was led over to the couch so that she could unburden herself in the comfort of her surrogate grandmother's arms. Linka sat on the other side and rubbed her back, wanting her to know that she was there, though her own face was deathly pale.

"Jason, why don't you go and make us all a nice hot drink?"

"Sure thing Gram." He shut the front door and made his way to the kitchen, returning shortly with a tray holding five mugs of hot chocolate. Picking up the last he said, "I'll take this in to Mischka, I doubt he's asleep yet."

The American had been right, but though Mischka thanked him for the beverage that was left on his bedside cabinet, he hadn't made any move to take it while he'd been in the room and clearly hadn't wanted to talk.

"Now," Grandmuska said, as Wheeler took a seat and a taste of his own drink, "Perhaps _you_ will tell me what happened?"

Wheeler glanced at Linka and Susi but they were both seemingly absorbed by their drinks and he shrugged, "It was pretty much like we'd suspected. Svetlana was heavily involved in the crime syndicate Skumm was running and she's been arrested." A thought occurred to him and he started to add, "Oh Skumm is…"

"I am quite aware of who he is and what he has done to this family," Grandmuska said coldly, and then gave him an apologetic smile, "It is not something you forget easily."

"Yeah well he won't be hurting anyone again so you don't have to worry." Wheeler assured her.

Linka stood up suddenly, "We should go… the others are waiting for us at the bed and breakfast."

Her grandmother protested, "Why did they not come here?"

"Spasiba," The Wind Planeteer smiled for the first time at her Grandmother's desire to welcome their friends, "But we are all in need of sleep and there is not room here. We will be in Russia for a while though, at least I will… I mean there is so much to clear up, you will have time to see everyone."

"You must all come to dinner tonight." She said as Wheeler moved to encircle his girlfriend's waist with a comforting arm.

Linka bit her lip, "I am not sure Mischka is ready for that…"

"It will not do him any good to shut himself away and brood," Susi said, reaching out to squeeze Linka's hand for extra support, "Or you either."

"Yeah," Wheeler agreed, "Let's get that sleep so we can think about things with clearer heads, but we'll come to dinner and we can talk about everything then, thanks Gram."

Susi stood but she hesitated, "Actually I am not ready to sleep, would it be ok if I stayed here for a while to catch up with Grandmuska?"

"Of course it is!" The old woman beamed, obviously wanting the company, "And you can always nap in Linka's room if you feel tired."

"Will she be safe?" Linka asked Wheeler, worried but not able to think well enough to work it out for herself.

He nodded, "Yeah I think so. The police are going to be keeping an eye on the house for a few days anyway and we won't be far away."

The girls embraced again though they'd only be apart for a few hours and then the Planeteers departed.

* * *

"Are all hotel receptionists in Russia that suspicious of strangers?" Wheeler joked as he sat on the end of the bed and kicked his shoes off.

"Yankee, Mrs Chudov has known me since I was a baby, and she knows my house is five minutes away, and yet I want a room here with my boyfriend." She sounded irritable but he knew it was just the stress and exhaustion rather than any real annoyance, "What else is she going to think?"

He sighed, "I guess it would have been better if the others had actually made it back instead of opting for a couple of hours sleep in whichever town they're in, huh?"

She shook her head and flopped back on the bed beside him, "I would rather publically announce that I am having sex with you than face them right now."

"They'll understand," He said quietly and then as the rest of her words sank in, "I'll try not to take that personally."

That drew a small chuckle from her, but all she said was, "I am not sure I have the energy to get into bed, can I just stay here?"

Wheeler smiled at her affectionately and then stood up and walked around the bed to pick her up and move her so that her head was on the pillow. He gave her t-shirt a small tug, "Want some help?"

"Sure." Linka shrugged, smiling in spite of herself, "What would I do without you Jason?"

It was only a couple of hours later when her restless sleep disturbed him. He pulled her closer and gently woke her, "It's ok Beautiful, it was just a nightmare."

"Bozhe' moy!" she gasped, tears escaping from her eyes, "What have I done?"

"Hey, it's over." Wheeler kissed her forehead. "Everything's ok now."

Linka nodded, pressing tightly against him, "It was an old dream, I have them sometimes, only… instead of Boris it was Mischka and…"

"Shh, Babe that didn't happen, "Mischka's fine and so is Gram, and Susi, you'll see them again tonight."

She was shivering but she nodded, "I am sorry, I am fine honestly."

Wheeler kissed her again, rubbing her back and arms though the cold she was feeling was internal. "There's nothing to apologise for. See if you can go back to sleep ok?"

Nodding, the Wind Planeteer closed her eyes but opened them again almost immediately, "I cannot, not yet, my head is full of… bad things."

"Ok Babe, then let's talk for a while," he suggested though he seemed near to falling asleep again. "Tell me what sort of birds you get 'round here."

"Da because that will keep you awake," She laughed quietly and he gave her a squeeze. After a moment she said, "Are you too tired to… make love to me?"

"When I'm six feet under, maybe." He said and then opened his eyes, "Are you sure that's not taking advantage when you're vulnerable?"

The Russian smiled at him and said seriously, "I think as long as it is already part of your relationship it just comes under comfort."

He kissed her, now fully awake and already exploring, "You've convinced me."

"Somehow I thought I would," She chuckled and began to reciprocate.

When they finally did fall asleep they slept soundly and peacefully, and only woke in time for dinner because of the arrival of the rest of the Planeteers.

* * *

To be continued…


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Well this is it, the final chapter. Thanks again to everyone who has read and reviewed, I hope you all enjoyed it and I'd love to hear your thoughts.

* * *

 **Chapter Eighteen**

Wheeler watched her as Linka moved effortlessly through the party between her friends and family, no, _their_ friends and family as Linka kept insisting, it was still a hard thing to get used to after being essentially alone for most of his life. She laughed at something someone said to her, a carefree, beautiful sound that for a while he'd worried he wouldn't hear again.

It had been difficult those first few months after Skumm's death because villain or not, Linka had taken a life and the nightmares that had occasionally plagued her since her descent into Bliss had returned with a vengeance, a terrifying mix of old terror and new guilt.

Initially they'd stayed in Russia to help with the clean up and to make themselves available to the authorities. Despite Grandmuska's urging, Linka had insisted on their continuing to sleep at the bed and breakfast, which had conveniently left her room free for Susi.

Together Linka, Wheeler and Susi - with some help from Mischka and his football friends - had begun to put the town right again and slowly others joined them. The rest of the Planeteers split their efforts between the other towns trying to give their friends some family time.

When Susichka had been offered a permanent job at one of the shops they'd helped, the four young friends went out for a meal to celebrate, and after both Grandmuska and Mischka re-iterated their happiness at having her share their home she forgot about looking for a new place to live.

The Wind Planeteer's night terrors had been somewhat allayed by her focus on their task and Wheeler's presence but they had intensified after their return home to Hope Island to a point where they couldn't be easily dismissed.

"Yankee, you should go." She'd told him one night, nearly stopping his heart even though he'd just woken her from yet another bad dream and she was still sobbing and shaking from its effects. "Get some sleep, I know this is not fair to you."

He breathed out slowly, trying not to react to the fear her words created in him. "I won't sleep, you know that, not without you."

"You will," She gasped, and tried to rub her tears away. "You must be exhausted. You have slept less than I have since we got back from Russia. You are always looking after me, this is not what you signed for."

He gave a wry smile, tired as he was he still thought her little slips endearing, "Signed _up_ for, and yeah, actually it was. I told you, I love you, this is what people do when they love each other."

She turned and buried her head in his chest, crying and over tired. "It hurts you, I do not want to hurt you."

"Then promise you'll never send me away," He'd told her, "That would hurt worse than anything."

Linka tightened her grip, her sobbing increasing as she gave herself into his care. He closed his eyes and gathered her up closer, rocking her gently. "It's ok Beautiful, I swear to you it's gonna be ok… I know it's a horrible thing to say but he wasn't worth your tears Babe."

He'd let her cry herself to sleep in his arms, that night and many others but it had eventually subsided and though she still occasionally kept him awake all night it was now usually deliberate, devoid of upset and very welcome.

"You are deep in thought." Linka broke into his reverie by sliding her arms up around his neck and claiming a kiss, then smiling as he held her to him.

Wheeler grinned down at her, "I was wondering how I got so lucky."

She looked at him sceptically, "That did not look like what you were thinking… are you happy Jason?"

"You _know_ I am." He gave her a squeeze, "I just have to remind myself it's real sometimes."

"Well do not!" Linka joked, "Enjoy the dream, or you will have people thinking I have you completely under my thumb."

Chuckling he shook his head, "More like, wrapped around your little finger."

"What is the difference?" she asked curiously.

Wheeler kissed the tip of her nose, "Not wanting to escape."

Her smile warmed, "Dance with me?"

He kissed her lips briefly by way of a reply and then led her over to the dance floor, settling into a gentle sway in each other's arms. "You sure you don't want to go to the B&B tonight?" he whispered against her ear, "I'm sure Susi wouldn't mind not having to share with Gram."

"I am a little surprised that she is not sharing with Mischka," She confided, "Their exaggerated brother and sister act is getting old, especially when they look at each other like they have not eaten in months."

Wheeler laughed loudly and twirled her round, receiving indulgent smiles from the rest of the party. He pulled her close again, "You're adorable. You're not going to mention it to them are you?"

She chuckled and shook her head, "Nyet this time he is on his own, but it has been a year and Susi has been right here all that time, what is he waiting for?"

"Courage?" he shrugged, "He screwed up pretty badly last time, it's gonna take him a while to really trust again. Don't worry, they'll work it out… It only took _you_ seven years." She giggled and wriggled in his arms as he tickled a sensitive spot in her side, stopping him with her hand before settling back against him.

"At least Gram is happy now." He commented after a while.

Linka followed his gaze over to where her Grandmother sat with Susi and Gi, and a rather embarrassing photo album. She groaned, "Does she have to?"

"Yep." He grinned, "Babe, they're cute baby pictures, get over it."

Susi laughed and suddenly hugged Grandmuska, making the older woman beam at her with pride while Mischka stood watching at the side lines with Anatoly and the other two Planeteers, but ignoring their conversation and looking just as Linka had described him.

"I want Susi for a sister." Linka complained, resting her head on her companion's shoulder.

"Have you told her that?" He kissed her hair.

"Not since we were eight…" She admitted. "Did I tell you that Susi and I used to have sleepovers here when we were little? We would huddle under the blankets with a torch and tell each other all about the things we were going to do when we were grown up and the men we were going to marry."

"Oh yeah?" Wheeler grinned, "I bet I'm not anything like the guy you pictured yourself being with back then."

She straightened up to give him an amused smile, "Oh I do not know… I thought myself very much in love with Indiana Jones as a matter of fact."

He laughed but said wryly, "Well we're both American."

"And handsome; heroes," she trailed her fingers down the muscles of his arm, "men of action…"

He waggled his eyebrows at her and brought his lips down to hers.

"What about you?" she pursued, after kissing him back for only a moment, conscious of how easily they could forget their surroundings. "Who did you like at that age?"

He thought about it for a few seconds, "Princess Karina from Ice Pirates."

She shook her head, "I do not know who that is."

"Aww Babe, you gotta watch Ice Pirates, it's a classic!" he groaned.

Linka shrugged agreeably, knowing that childhood fantasies would never compare to what they had now.

"So what was Susi's dream guy like?" The Fire Planeteer wondered, and she giggled and let her eyes stray back to her brother. "For real?"

"Da, that is why I was not that surprised that she felt she had to warn him." She shrugged, "She never was interested in film stars and that does not seem to have changed."

They laughed together until Wheeler kissed her neck, making her shiver, "You didn't answer my original question."

"Nyet I do not want to go to a hotel," She told him, not pretending to misunderstand, then leant close to his ear, "We will just wait until they are all drunk."

"Is that a promise?"

"Mm-hmm." She snuggled her head into her favourite spot on his shoulder, "I love you."

"Love you too."

A clinking glass and the music volume suddenly lowering had them looking at the widening circle around her brother, who nodded to the happy couple.

"Let us all raise a glass, to my sister and her fiancé. We are lucky to have you both in our family, but you are luckier still to have found a special connection that will only get stronger over time." His eyes strayed to Susi and she blushed but met his gaze with understanding and acceptance. He smiled for the first time that night. "To Linka and Jason, may you have a long and happy life together. Congratulations!"

As their guests echoed the toast, Wheeler pulled his bride-to-be back into his arms and kissed her until their calls turned into cheers.

 **The End**


End file.
